Ozzy Osbourne says the first time he heard The Beatles it was “like being hit by a bolt of lightning.”
The Black Sabbath frontman reveals the Fab Four’s early hit She Loves You changed his life and made him realise he wanted a career in music.
He tells Kerrang: “I’m sure I’d been exposed to other songs, but I think the first one that has a real effect on me was She Loves You by The Beatles. It was just magic, it was like being hit by a bolt of lightning.
“I even remember where I was and what I was doing. I was walking down the road in Aston one day, with my light blue transistor radio, and this song came on. I thought, ‘what the fuck is that?’
“It changed my life forever, and at that point I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I never knew it would turn out the way it did – it turned out way bigger than my wildest expectations – but I knew that I wanted to be the singer in a band.”
Ozzy adds that John Lennon’s way with words struck a chord with the future metal icon.
He says: “After I heard She Loves You, my whole world was The Beatles. I was just obsessed with them. A Day In The Life was a huge song for me when I was younger.
“John Lennon was so great with words. He had an amazing way of turning out ridiculous lyrics but making them sound interesting and clever. Sometimes I like more straightforward lyrics, but, at the same time, I’m a fan of lyrics that do a number on my head.”
