# Ozzy Splits With Sony Records Due To Kelly Being Dropped **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078 "2003-05-09T10:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/1 "2003-05-09T10:22:51Z")
I’m rolling my eyes so hard they’re going to pop out of my head. Kelly O was dropped from Epic/Sony sometime this week due to poor record sales. No one saw that coming, right? Right? (insert eye roll) What would most parents (read mothers) do if that happened to their child? I’d like to think most would be realistic enough to say “Hey, you had a decent run. You didn’t sell as many copies as they really wanted, but that’s okay. We’ll get you on a smaller label, start you back out slowly if you really want to do this.” (I won’t even get into why Kelly shouldn’t have been signed to a mega-label like Epic/Sony anyway–that’s a totally different rant for a different day.) Not Sharon. Sharon marches her ass down to Sony and snatches **Ozzy’s** contract away. The contract he’s had with them for **thirty effing years** that produced **twelve plantinum albums**. I swear, I don’t know if it’s menopause or _what_, but lately it seems as if she’s trying to single-handedly dismantle everything he’s achieved musically. From the 2002 remasters to the…what? spectacle? debacle? of MTV’s _The Osbournes_, I haven’t seen so many truly idiotic, knee-jerk decisions from her in his entire career. ARGH! ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/2 "2003-05-09T10:29:47Z")
My take is that she’s the reason he’s had such enormous success especially recently, including _The Osbournes_ which is in fact a huge highlight of his career. And as a manager of two careers, it’s her right to negotiate any way she sees fit for her artists. As to the quality of Kelly’s work, I couldn’t agree with you more. ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/3 "2003-05-09T10:36:16Z")
I know what you’re getting at **Bill** , but I can’t really agree. His last album, _Down To Earth_, was released at about the same time _The Osbournes_ debuted on MTV. It’s been his _poorest_ selling work to date. I checked the RIAA the other day, and it’s still sitting in gold status, which is unusual. I don’t know if he’s more successful now, or just more mainstream. He’s always had an enormous fanbase. Also, I’m not saying Sharon doesn’t have the _right_, per se, to do whatever she pleases with Ozzy’s contract. I’m just saying that I highly disagree with her decisions as of late. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/4 "2003-05-09T10:48:00Z")
But the fact that his record sales aren’t as good as they’ve been isn’t necessarily caused by the TV show. Are people staying away from the new record because they don’t like the show? Did they buy more of his older records when the show was new? Isn’t it possible that the record itself simply isn’t that good? Isn’t it possible that the main audience for the show likes Old Ozzy more than New Ozzy and bought up a lot of copies of the old BS and solo work, rather than the new stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/5 "2003-05-09T11:11:12Z")
You make a really good point, **dantheman**. DTE was certainly a different direction in terms of Ozzy’s work, especially compared to _Diary of a Madman_ and _Bark at the Moon_. The only thing that makes me _not_ have a lot of faith in that explanation is that Ozzy has done majorly different work before. Both _No More Tears_ and _Ozzmosis_ were wildly different from the rest of his catalog (DTE is in the flavor of _No More Tears_)…and those are the albums that won him Grammies. They sold platinum with no problem at all. I don’t think it’s exactly that people didn’t like the show that caused the surprisingly low sales. More that a large percentage of his fanbase all sighed “sell out”, and the new fans he garnered because of the show all laughed and said “This dude could make a decent album? Come on! He can barely string two words together!” As far as I know, the sales of his old albums didn’t go up. However, they also didn’t _decline_, IIRC, so you may be on to something. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/6 "2003-05-09T11:12:44Z")
Oh, god damn not being able to edit posts. ARGH! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/7 "2003-05-09T11:16:21Z")
Well, whether he sold out or not, he’s making a bundle and a half from the show (presumably), and that’s probably thanks to Sharon’s management, not her lack of. One of the great appeals of the show is seeing an aging rock god in everyday moments. An rock god, not a hip, on the leading edge rock singer from 2003. So people - especially those who were teens when Diary and Bark came out - wax nostalgic and go out and re-buy all of his old stuff. For a long, long time, of course, you couldn’t find any coverage of heavy metal in mainstream media. Even the radio didn’t play it, unless you stayed up late to hear Headbangers Ball (before MTV had it). So for a lot of the old Ozzy fans, the show’s a mixed blessing. They get to see their favorite icon, but in an almost incongruent setting. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/8 "2003-05-09T11:23:05Z")
> [@](#): > > So for a lot of the old Ozzy fans, the show’s a mixed blessing. Precisely! And don’t get me wrong, I completely give Sharon her props for holding The Man together. That woman takes a _lot_ of shit from him, and she deserves a lot of what she’s gotten in terms of the money, fame, success, what have you. I just don’t like to think of iconic career being…not _destroyed_ exactly, but tarnished, I guess. But then, you know how Ozzy fans are, **dan**. We’re absolutely insane. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/9 "2003-05-09T11:40:45Z")
Hey, you can now hear “Crazy Train” in baseball stadiums all the time - never used to. I guess it’s not as “dangerous” and “satanic” as it once was portrayed and perceived, huh? Now, where is my concert shirt with the white sleeves . . . ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/10 "2003-05-09T12:46:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\* > For a long, long time, of course, you couldn’t find any coverage of heavy metal in mainstream media. Even the radio didn’t play it, unless you stayed up late to hear Headbangers Ball (before MTV had it). So for a lot of the old Ozzy fans, the show’s a mixed blessing. They get to see their favorite icon, but in an almost incongruent setting. 🙂 \*\* I hear MTV is bringing back the Ball. As for Ozzy, I still place him among the Gods of Rock, but I’ve gotten out of my metal phase. I didn’t know he had a new album out. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/11 "2003-05-09T12:48:30Z")
Heh, Ozzy is playing in Ottawa next month. I’ve got my tickets! I’ve never been to an Ozzy concert before, so I hope he puts on a good show. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/12 "2003-05-09T12:49:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*Hey, you can now hear “Crazy Train” in baseball stadiums all the time - never used to. I guess it’s not as “dangerous” and “satanic” as it once was portrayed and perceived, huh? > > Now, where is my concert shirt with the white sleeves . . . \*\* I wonder if Suicide Solution is still making kids kill themselves. Or has Manson taken over that duty now? ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/13 "2003-05-09T13:01:53Z")
> [@](#): > > I didn’t know he had a new album out. He’s slated to drop a new one at the end of this year. > [@](#): > > I’ve never been to an Ozzy concert before, so I hope he puts on a good show. Ozzy’s voice during live shows is somewhat of a coin toss, but he’s fun. No one can take that away from him…his live shows are a _blast_. Uh, just watch out for his high-powered water jets. > [@](#): > > I wonder if Suicide Solution is still making kids kill themselves. Or has Manson taken over that duty now? No, no. Manson makes kids kill _each other_, a la Columbine. I think Ozzy still holds the title of “Making Kids Commit Suicide: One Angsty Teen At A Time!” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/14 "2003-05-09T17:51:50Z")
I’ve seen Ozzy playing live on TV; it looks to be a good show, for sure. While his voice quality in general _is_ a coin-toss at times, his band are_actual musicians who play music, perhaps loudly, but with skill and none of the instrument-trashing_ that is apparently in fashion these days. That’s their daughter who was dropped. Sharon didn’t agree and retaliated in a mature (if unconventional) manner. Sounds like a good clean, if not somewhat questionable, action to me. She didn’t throw a ham this time, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Skillet38](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Skillet38](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skillet38)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/15 "2003-05-09T21:35:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*I wonder if Suicide Solution is still making kids kill themselves. Or has Manson taken over that duty now? \*\* The song “Suicide Solution” is an anti-alcohol song remarking upon the story of AC/DC’s singer Bon Scott. Solution = liquid, in the context of the song. ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/16 "2003-05-09T21:58:57Z")
I think **GMRyujin** was being sarcastic. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Skillet38](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Skillet38](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skillet38)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/17 "2003-05-09T22:13:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by QueerGeekGirl \* > \*\*I think **GMRyujin** was being sarcastic. > > 😉 \*\* yes indeedy, and he makes that fairly obvious, but there’s a lot of folks who misconstrued the meaning of that and Many of Oz’s tunes. Especially back in his “Sabbath” days. I’m so used to defending his lyrical content that it’s become second nature. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/18 "2003-05-09T22:35:40Z")
I hear ya, **Skillet**. God, do I ever. How tiresome is that, I ask you? “For the four HUNDRETH AND EIGHTY SEVENTH TIME, he did NOT SAY GET THE GUN!” Hee. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/19 "2003-05-10T00:21:31Z")
I was sarcastically commenting on the trial over Suicide Solution. Though I’ve never seen the Ozzman solo, I caught Sab on their Reunion tour. They fawkin rawked, man! ---
**Author:** ![Skillet38](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Skillet38](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skillet38)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078/20 "2003-05-10T00:39:53Z")
I caught Ozzy with Randy Rhoads on the first leg of the “Diary of a Madman” tour. March 2nd 1982- Hirsch Coliseum, Shreveport, LA Randy died on March 19th I’ve seen a lot of musicians up close and I’ve been playing guitar since the late '70s. Watching Randy Rhodes bordered on a religious experience with my 18 year old self. His solos were clean, and stunningly virtuosic, and yet, it “wasn’t” like listening to “Blizzard” and “Diary”, because he had had time to improve/ further personalize his playing. I found his performance to be so mesmerizing that here, some twenty years later I hardly remember Ozzy so much as Randy. I caught the next tour “Bark at the Moon” ? with Jake E. Lee on guitar and was nonplussed. I hold Ozzy’s first two releases in great esteem, and, well, the less said about the rest of it the better, as it’s just my opinion. I know we’ve gone way off on a tangent with this thread, but, thats the way the bat head crumbles 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ozzy-splits-with-sony-records-due-to-kelly-being-dropped/174078.md?page=2)