Ozzy Osbourne rehearsal cassette tape , dated 1980, was recently discovered in an attic, offering a glimpse into the beginning of his solo career after leaving Black Sabbath .
As reported by Sky News , the discovery was made by David Jolly , a friend of Ozzy's from that period, who had kept the tape for decades in the attic of his house. The historical relic documents a crucial transitional moment in the artist's career.
The recording, identified as "Ozzie Last Day," captures an approximately 12-minute session with Ozzy alongside guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Bob Daisley , before drummer Lee Kerslake the group.
The audio, which does not contain complete songs, is described as a jam session with blues influences and captures the trio experimenting and interacting before the recordings of the album Blizzard of Ozz (1980). The authenticity of the tape was confirmed by Daisley, who immediately recognized the voices and sounds of the rehearsal.
“As soon as I heard it, I thought, ‘Yes, it’s us, it’s Ozzy’s voice.’ I don’t know if we were testing out a drummer and just loosening up a bit, or if we were just messing around… but it wasn’t a song we were working on, because we already had songs lined up at that time, we had several songs,” said Daisley [via NME ].
Rare Black Sabbath recordings
Last November, Jim Simpson Black Sabbath 's first manager , said he had plans to release recordings from the band's time as Earth . He claims to have purchased and restored tapes recorded in 1969 by Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward, and plans to release them as Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes .
However, Ozzy's former manager and widow, Sharon Osbourne , disputes this version. According to her, there is no proof of a formal contract that would allow Simpson to commercially exploit this material.
In her message, Sharon states that the members of Black Sabbath do not want the demos released. "They haven't listened to the tapes and never agreed to their release," she stated. She also questions Simpson's claims that he paid for the 1969 studio sessions and accuses the record label involved, Big Bear Records , of questionable financial management.
Furthermore, Sharon revealed that she issued a legal opinion to support Black Sabbath's position. Sharon alleges that Simpson did not offer royalties to the band and refused to allow them to listen to the recordings he claims to possess.
READ ALSO: See the tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at the 2026 Grammys
