YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT

It was In early 2017 that I had my first face-toface encounter with the Prince Of Fucking Darkness. I was waiting on the set of our super-hush-hush photoshoot backstage at the Glasgow Hydro, standing next to an eager but slightly nervous M Shadows as we prepared to create our mega Avenged vs Sabbath cover. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, a burst of fanfare saw the man himself, flanked by security guards and personnel, shuffle his way straight in front of the camera.

Ozzy looked fragile. He looked a little shaky. He looked like you’d expect a 68-year-old, legendary heavy metal hellraiser to look. A few nervous glances were exchanged around the Hammer camp: is he going to be up for this? And then, the camera started clicking. In 10 breathless minutes we got a better shoot out of that 68-year-old than most young bands can manage in an hour. He was a burst of electric energy – gurning, screaming and laughing his way through enough poses to fill a summer catalogue. And that’s what makes Ozzy, Ozzy. No matter where he is and how he’s feeling, he knows how to turn it on and how to make sure he’s the most entertaining man in the room. It’s just who he is.

To say we’ll miss him as he winds down his career just doesn’t do it justice – but as you’ll see from Dom Lawson’s excellent interview on page 38, he doesn’t feel like he’s totally done just yet.

Fine by us, Ozzy. Stay as long as you like. Horns up!