I Am Ozzy – Audio Book Review

Former Black Sabbath Frontman Tells of His Wild Life

Feb 18, 2010
Leslie C. Halpern

I Am Ozzy by Ozzie Osbourne - Copyright 2010 Hachette Book Group

Ozzy Osbourne reveals which of the crazy things said about him over the years are true.

This memoir seeks to clarify the many rumors surrounding rocker Ozzy Osbourne and his over-the-top lifestyle. Yes, he freely admits to biting the head off a bat…and a dove…and killing cows…and murdering lots of chickens, but he steadfastly denies ever killing puppies. A man has to draw the line somewhere.

Ozzy Osbourne Talks About the Bat, Booze, and Black Sabbath

In this four-hour, abridged audio book aptly read by British comedian Frank Skinner, Osbourne reveals his bouts with drugs, alcohol, and other addictions during his long career in the music business. The singer, songwriter, star of the 2002 MTV reality television series The Osbournes, and former lead vocalist for Black Sabbath says he copes with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder.

These problems clearly contributed to his impulsive behavior (such as jumping on a table and screaming during a U.S. presidential dinner) and near-deadly addictions that landed him in jail, in the hospital, and in rehab clinics over the years. These disorders also play a part in the organization of the material, which – though mostly chronological – jump around without much in the way of transitions.

I Am Ozzy is Narrated By Frank Skinner

Nonetheless, the prolific Ozzman has an interesting story to tell. Skinner has a gift for delivering the material in the author’s irreverent style, but more as an interpretation rather than an imitation of the profane rocker. Skinner adopts dialects, varies his intonation, and adds splashes of humor whenever possible to keep the storytelling light, despite some of its disturbing contents.

Told in the first person, Osbourne doesn’t shy away from admitting to his dangerous addictions, inability to stay faithful to his wives (when he was younger), and violent tendencies toward animals and humans when intoxicated by various foreign substances. While his revelations don’t go too far beneath the surface, they are plentiful and shocking.

Title Inspired By a Black Sabbath Song

Osbourne talks about his poor childhood, early years working with Black Sabbath, meeting his current wife (Sharon) while married to his former wife (Thelma), and surviving sexually transmitted diseases, getting hit by a plane, and a quad bike accident. Leading sporadically from one crazy stunt to another, this audio book feels like a genuine reflection of its author.

The title, inspired by the Black Sabbath song “I Am Iron Man,” is actually the opposite of how the author portrays himself in the book. Osbourne writes on the CD cover: “I’m just John Osbourne: a working-class kid from Aston, who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time.” Readers/listeners who also want a good time will certainly get that opportunity with I Am Ozzy.

I Am Ozzy Audio Book Details:

Osbourne, Ozzy, with Chris Ayres. Read by Frank Skinner. I Am Ozzy. Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60788-520-7, Three CDs, Memoir, Abridged Audio Book.

I Am Ozzy comes in audio book (reviewed here), hardcover, and downloadable audio book formats. A short interview with Ozzy Osbourne is included on track nine of the audio book. The book’s content includes profanity, sexuality, and violence.