Ozzy Osbourne has discussed the influences behind his new album, Patient Number 9, which is due out on September 9 via Epic Records.
In conversation with Kerrang!, The Prince Of Darkness explains how the record's second single, Degradation Rules (ft. Tony Iommi), was written, and reveals that it was none other than late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins who actually suggested one of its more NSFW lyrics.
“You know what Degradation Rules is about?” the Sabbath vocalist asks. “Masturbation. Sticky little magazines. A toss-pot.
"There’s a line in there, ‘Red Tube rules!’ which is an [ode to] the free porn website. And, do you know who suggested that? The drummer, Taylor Hawkins, who died recently."
Although Ozzy's friendship with Hawkins was relatively new, he honours him in a short but sweet tribute, and says: "To be perfectly honest with you, I’d never heard of him before he played on my album. But he must be good to play with Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters.
"When I met him, and from what I saw of him, he was a really nice man, one whose soul will surely last. I should imagine that everyone in that band was fucking devastated when the poor guy passed away.”
Today, on September 8, Ozzy will be performing a medley of songs at the NFL season opener between the Los Angele Rams and the Buffalo Bills.
In other Ozzy news, the Osbournes' return to their English homeland will be the subject of Home To Roost, a new BBC TV reality show which will focus on their day-to-day lives as the world's most well-noted rock'n'roll family, in similar style to their original series on MTV, The Osbournes, that first aired in the early 2000s.
“The series will follow the Osbournes as they celebrate one of their most important years yet," say the Beeb. "With everything from Sharon’s 70th birthday to Kelly’s soon-to-be-born baby, Ozzy’s tour, and of course the big move itself."
