A week ago or so, I got word that there was to be a new Ozzy compilation called “Memoirs of a Madman”.  This will be a  single CD audio greatest hits album and a 2 DVD package.  Both containing separate material.   This post will detail what’s going on with them.

THE CD

First we’ll talk about the CD.    This is a single disc greatest hits album, something that is not new to the overall Ozzy catalogue.   Ozzy solo actually has a boatload of live albums, but this will be only the third “Greatest Hits” album (four if you count the Prince of Darkness box).   Here’s a track listing of what is on the CD..

1. Crazy Train
2. Mr. Crowley
3. Flying High Again
4. Over The Mountain
5. Bark At The Moon
6. The Ultimate Sin
7. Miracle Man
8. No More Tears (edit)
9. Mama, I’m Coming Home
10. Road To Nowhere
11. Perry Mason
12. I Just Want You
13. Gets Me Through
14. Dreamer
15. I Don’t Wanna Stop
16. Life Won’t Wait
17. Let Me Hear You Scream

A few notes and remarks from me about the CD…

• No appearance of “Shot in the Dark”, one of his best songs solo, IMO.  However, if you know your Ozzy history, you know the story behind this song.  It’s not here due to a legal battle over publishing rights to it, and it’s owned by Phil Soussan as far as I can tell, so it’s a no go on anything released by Ozzy over the years.  I believe the last “new” product to include that song was the 1990 live EP, “Just Say Ozzy”.
• Every studio album is represented with at least one song.
• The official Track 14 lists “Dreamer”, but I saw another user commentary that claimed track 14 was that cover of “Changes” with Kelly.  Will confirm that when I can.
• No word as to whether the songs from Blizzard & Diary are the versions with Daisley & Kerslake, but for them to go back to the dreaded 2002 versions now would be an even more heinous move than it was originally.
• I’m assuming no more remastering is done on this stuff, that they’re using the versions on the last time they were remastered (2002 for Bark at the Moon thru Down to Earth, and 2011 for Blizzard & Diary).  I’ll look into that.
• Overall, it isn’t that bad of a cross section of Ozzy’s solo work.   As with any greatest hits compilation (especially ones on a single disc), there are bound to be songs left off (Shot in the Dark notwithstanding).  However, what *IS* here is quite good. Even haters of his latter studio albums should appreciate what’s on here.
• This is being released on vinyl as well, both in a standard vinyl package, and a picture disc vinyl version.
• It appears that the cover art for the DVD and the CD is the same, except for the sizing and respective format logos and whatnot.

Here are some links to order the CD:

• Amazon.com CD
• Amazon.com MP3
• Amazon.com Vinyl
• Amazon.com Vinyl Picture Disc
• Amazon.co.uk CD
• Amazon.co.uk MP3 (not available yet)
• Amazon.co.uk Vinyl
• Amazon.co.uk Vinyl Picture Disc

Ozzy’s press release specifically states ordering it from Amazon.  I’m a little unclear if it will be available elsewhere (like iTunes).  If that changes, I’ll update for sure.

THE DVD

Secondly, is the DVD.  Which to me personally is a far more interesting package than the CD is.   Mostly because there’s some rare stuff on here.   There are two discs here, which is great, given the list price – it is a pretty good value, IMO.   Here is the track listing:

Disc 1 – Music Videos

1. Bark At The Moon
2. So Tired
3. The Ultimate Sin
4. Lightning Strikes
5. Crazy Train
6. Miracle Man
7. Crazy Babies
8. Breaking All The Rules
9. No More Tears
10. Mama, I’m Coming Home
11. Mr. Tinkertrain
12. Time After Time
13. Road To Nowhere
14. I Don’t Want To Change The World (Live)
15. Changes
16. Perry Mason
17. I Just Want You
18. See You On The Other Side
19. Back On Earth
20. Gets Me Through
21. Dreamer
22. In My Life
23. I Don’t Wanna Stop
24. Let Me Hear You Scream
25. Life Won’t Wait
26. Let It Die
27. Mama, I’m Coming Home (alternate version)
28. The Making of Let Me Hear You Scream
29. The Making of Life Won’t Wait
30. Changes by Kelly Osbourne & Ozzy Osbourne

Disc 2

PERFORMANCES AND INTERVIEWS
(*previously unreleased)
(**available for the first time on DVD)

Rochester, NY 1981 (Presumably Randy Rhodes, Rudy Sarzo, Tommy Aldridge)

• I Don’t Know
• Suicide Solution
• Mr. Crowley
• Crazy Train

Albuquerque, NM 1982

• Over The Mountain

* MTV 1982  New York, NY 1982

• Fairies Wear Boots (clip)

*Entertainment USA 1984
**Kansas City, MO 1986 (Jake E Lee, Phil Soussan, Randy Castillo)

• Bark At The Moon
• Never Know Why

*Ozzy’s Bunker

• Killer Of Giants
• Thank God For The Bomb
• Secret Loser

*Philadelphia, PA 1989 (Zakk Wylde, Geezer Butler, Randy Castillo)

• Bloodbath In Paradise
• Tattooed Dancer
• Miracle Man

*MTV 1989 Marquee, UK 1991 (Zakk Wylde, Mike Inez, Randy Castillo)

• Bark At The Moon (clip)

*Studio San Diego, CA 1992 (Zakk Wylde, Mike Ninez, Rady Castillo)

• I Don’t Want To Change The World
• Road To Nowhere

*Japan 1992

• No More Tears

* Studio 1992

• Desire

* MTV 1992

• Mama, I’m Coming Home

* Ozzmosis Recording Session 1995

Ozzfest 1996 (Joe Holmes, Robert Trujillo, Mike Bordin)

• Perry Mason

* Fame & Fortune

Tokyo, Japan 2001 (Zakk Wylde, Rubert Trujillo, Mike Bordin)

• Gets Me Through

* Fame & Fortune

*Ozzfest 2007 (Zakk Wylde, Blasko, Mike Bordin)

• Not Going Away

* Black Rain Photo Shoot

*Las Vegas, NV 2007 (Zakk Wylde, Blasko, Mike Bordin, Adam Wakeman)

• I Don’t Wanna Stop

* Scream Recording Session 2010

* London, England 2010 (Gus G, Blasko, Tommy Clufetos, Adam Wakeman)

• Let Me Hear You Scream

BONUS

*Philadelphia, PA 1989 (Zakk Wylde, Geezer Butler, Randy Castillo)

• Flying High Again

Tokyo, Japan 2001 (Zakk Wylde, Robert Trujillo, Mike Bordin)

• Believer

Some notes and my thoughts about the DVD

• I’ve seen a couple different versions of the press release for the DVD, and they list something called “Ozzy’s Bunker” like 8 or 9 times, I’m a little unclear how that works into the track listing.  Also, some sections like “Entertainment USA 1984 & Kansas City 1986 seem lumped together, but shouldn’t be.  Will attempt to clear that up.  I did my best to sort it out, and I’m hopeful I can get this all clear, as some of it is not.
• Unclear if the DVDs will be region encoded, or if they’ll be region free (aka Region zero).
• Unclear if the older music videos will be in the original 4×3 aspect ratio, or if they’ll be “forced” to fit in a widescreen format, which means some of the video will be lost.  Will try and figure that out.
• It’s no secret I tend to get review copies of most everything from running this site, but this is something I would buy myself out of pocket.   This looks like a very good DVD set.
• I really was hoping we’d get a compilation of those concert intros where Ozzy “Forrest Gumps” himself into various movies and TV shows.  The first version of those was released on an old VHS tape many years ago called “Ozzy Goes Hollywood”, but he has done several of these things for various tours over the years, and only the first one was ever released.  None of them on DVD.  Bummer – was really hoping they’d be here.

Here are some links to order the DVD:

• Amazon.com DVD
• Amazon.co.uk DVD

Special Super Deluxe Mega Ultra Set

In addition, an exclusive AUTOGRAPHED limited edition fan bundle will be available. This includes an autographed poster, 2 DVD set, CD, 2 LP picture disc vinyl, along with a “Creative Allies” fan designed poster, which will feature an image personally chosen by OZZY.   They’re asking $145 for this – IMO WAY too overpriced.  That’s really out there, IMO.   If you want to check it out, click here.  I’m pretty sure that won’t be available on Amazon.

Summary

Overall, this looks like a pretty decent package.

The regular CD I’m mostly “meh” towards, because I own all of that.  However, there’s nothing wrong with what’s on the CD itself, and if you’re looking for a single disc career spanning greatest hits of Ozzy’s solo stuff, then yeah, go for it.

The DVD I’m VERY interested in.  Would have preferred the concert intros had been there, but what is there looks really good.   Hopefully they don’t munge up the aspect ratio on the music videos.   Will be hilarious to see the video for “The Ultimate Sin” again – as I’m a big fan of the TV show “Dallas”, and seeing Ozzy as JR Ewing is extremely silly.    The live stuff looks cool, and seems to cover quite a few band combinations.

Vinyl doesn’t interest me personally, but I know it’s making a comeback, so it’s no surprise that this is available, too.   They’re two disc vinyls so they should sound pretty nice.

Hopefully I’ll have some updates about the questions I have above shortly.