Ozzy Osbourne made his SDCC (San Diego Comic Con) debut this past Friday (July 22) setting a record for the largest signing of the year on the convention room floor (with fans lined up for hours) at the annual event when he teamed up with collaborator Todd McFarlane at the Stern Pinball/Rebellion Republic booth at the sold-out convention. Prior to the signing, the two revealed the artwork for the McFarlane-designed comic book (available in limited edition album packages, with details on all pre-orders here) before signing a poster of the McFarlane album artwork.
Friday also marked the release of “Degradation Rules” (featuring Tony Iommi), the second single from Ozzy’s upcoming album Patient Number 9 out September 9. The song marks the first time that Black Sabbath co-founder, guitarist, and riff-master Tony Iommi appears on an Ozzy solo album. Revolver noted that the single–written by Ozzy with Andrew Watt, Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith–features “Iommi’s signature heavy riffery and even some wailing harmonica [by Ozzy] hearkening back to classic Sabbath” (7/22), while Guitar World praised the “gargantuan power chord electric guitar riff that could only come from the mind of Tony Iommi, and a face-melting wah-flavored solo” (7/22). Listen to “Degradation Rules” [feat. Tony Iommi] and watch a video here.
“Degradation Rules” follows the album’s first single, the album’s title track which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s “Hot Hard Rock Songs” chart which also topped the “Hard Rock Digital Song Sales” charts. “Patient Number 9” [feat. Jeff Beck] remains the #1 rock song in the country this week.
Patient Number 9 is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy®-winning singer and songwriter Osbourne’s new album and the first since his critically acclaimed, worldwide, chart-topping 2020 ORDINARY MAN release. Produced by Andrew Watt (who handled the same duties on ORDINARY MAN), the new album marks Osbourne’s 13th solo studio album. It’s heavy, it’s hard-hitting, it’s historic–it’s everything you’d want from an Ozzy Osbourne record and maybe more. Working with producer Watt for the second time, Ozzy welcomed a dynamic A-list featured guests. The record boasts guitarists Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and long standing right hand man and six-string beast Zakk Wylde who plays on the majority of the tracks. For the bulk of the album, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers held down drums, while the late Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters appears on three songs. Old friend and one-time Ozzy band member Robert Trujilloof Metallica plays bass on most of the album’s tracks, with Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses and Chris Chaney of Jane’s Addiction supplying bass on a few songs.
