Thursday: Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowley

     Hey kids, I'm back! Another weekend away from my desk means another few days of catching up to do. But you know the drill by now, so let's get to it. Your belated Throwback Thursday post this week is a classic cut from the solo catalogue of the man himself, Mr. Ozzy Osbourne.

     The song and its subject, as you may have already read above, are another gentleman, one "Mr Crowley". For the uninitiated (pun sorta intended) Aleister Crowley was, among a number of other things, an occultist and mystic once dubbed "the wickedest man in the world" by his detractors. So, in other words, a fun guy, and the perfect subject for a song by the granddaddy of heavy metal.

     "Mr. Crowley", from Ozzy's 1980 solo debut record Blizzard of Ozz, has long been one of my favourite solo Ozzy songs; where does it rank for you?

Tom Morello/Serj Tankian - Crazy Train

     Part of me wants to sit on this one and save it for the next Under the Covers of Darkness week, whenever the hell that might be. But I've seen such a polarizing reaction to this song today that I feel compelled to share it with you, just in case you haven't come across it on your own yet.

     The track I'm talking about is a cover of Ozzy's "Crazy Train" recently recorded by Tom Morello, Serj Tankian, Rudy Sarzo, and Vinny Appice for a Randy Rhoads tribute album. The reaction is mixed, but generally negative: comments attack everything from the mix to the solos, from the unoriginality of the interpretation to its looseness. So I figure you should check it out and make up your own mind. You could even post a comment below if you feel that strongly about it. Jeez.

Shadows Fall - Bark at the Moon

     It's day two of the second edition of Under the Covers of Darkness week here at Loud Noises, and today's song has a loose connection with yesterday's. It's not quite a "six degrees of separation" kind of situation (sorry, Kevin Bacon, your services aren't required here) but some similarly lateral thinking might put you on the right track. Go on, have a guess!

     Give up? Or just glance up, and read the title of this post? Either way, your second cover song of the week is Shadows Fall's rendition of the Ozzy Osbourne classic "Bark at the Moon" as released on the deluxe edition of their 2009 record Retribution. As a cover version, it's not all that far removed from the original -- essentially Brian Fair singing "Bark at the Moon" with a little thrashy frosting on top -- but since Shadows Fall already have a bit of a retro 80's metal vibe going in some of their stuff, I'm cool with them just doing a straight up cover instead of trying to get fancy with this piece of metal history.

     And while they may not have taken much artistic license with "Bark at the Moon", the boys in Shadows Fall did have the decency to make their own campy werewolf video for their version of the song, rounding out the Ozzy homage in fitting, vaguely Victorian style. Check it out, and I'll see you back here tomorrow for your day three coverage.

Friday: Ozzy Osbourne - Bark at the Moon

     How did I manage to post my Hallowe'en-themed Album of the Week post last night and yet not post my Hallowe'en-themed Song of the Day post? There are some mysteries man wasn't meant to understand.

     The song I had intended to share with you is a classic piece of horror-themed metal history, and especially fitting given that last night was a full moon (I'm told, since I'm apparently an old man now and stayed in last night). "Bark at the Moon" is the title track and first single from Ozzy Osbourne's third solo LP, with its instantly recognizable main riffs and howling Ozzy.

     So whether you barked at the moon last night, or are going to tonight, or spent your day today (or will do tomorrow) howling curses at your nocturnal indiscretions, Ozzy's got you covered. Have a go at "Bark at the Moon", and while you're at it have a belated Happy Hallowe'en too.

Song of the Day: Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears

     Quickie song this evening, hopefully exorcising the song that's been in my head all day right before bed.

     I can see how Ozzy isn't everybody's cup of tea, but if you don't think "No More Tears" is pretty epic then you, sir, need a lesson in epicness. That simple yet fat bass riff, the verse guitar riff that sounds like it's being played on some kind of demon guitar, and one of the classiest solos in guitardom. Nary a note out of place, Zakk Wylde really nailed this one in my opinion, fueling a legion of shredders.

     So; "No More Tears" from 1991's album of the same name it is then. Get out of my head!