OZZY OSBOURNE's 'No Rest For The Wicked' album turns 35 today September 28th

Published September 28 2023 at 17:55

'No Rest For The Wicked' was the fifth studio album by English heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. It was released on September 28th 1988, and the album was certified gold by December and has since gone double platinum (2 million sold in the U.S. alone).

Certainly 'No Rest For The Wicked' is one of Ozzy's more iconic albums, and here are some interesting facts associated with it:

1. First Album featuring Zakk Wylde: 'No Rest For The Wicked' marked the debut of guitarist Zakk Wylde in Ozzy's band. This album introduced Wylde's signature guitar style, which would become synonymous with Osbourne's music.

2. Songwriting Lawsuit: The album led to a legal battle between Ozzy and Bob Daisley over songwriting credits and royalties. Daisley claimed he co-wrote many of the songs but was not properly credited. An unresolved issue that went back to the days of the 2 first albums, and again would rear it's somewhat ugly head on this one.

3. Judas Priest Connection: The track 'Demon Alcohol' was co-written by Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde, and Judas Priest's lead singer Rob Halford. Halford also provided backing vocals for the song.

4. Lemmy Kilmister's Influence: The song 'Bloodbath In Paradise' was inspired by Charles Manson, and its lyrics were written by Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead. Lemmy also played bass on the original demo recording of this track.

5. First Grammy Nomination: 'No Rest For The Wicked' received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance in 1989, marking Ozzy's first Grammy nod as a solo artist.

Tracklisting:

A1        Miracle Man
A2        Devil's Daughter
A3        Crazy Babies
A4        Breaking All The Rules
B1        Bloodbath In Paradise
B2        Fire In The Sky
B3        Tattooed Dancer
B4        Demon Alcohol

Line-up:
Vocals - Ozzy Osbourne
Bass Guitar - Bob Daisley
Drums - Randy Castillo
Guitar - Zakk Wylde
Keyboards - John Sinclair