The last good Ozzy.

He was lost after the untimely death of Randy Rhoads.

Then again, I’d be lying if I said I loved those albums when they came out. But after hearing “Flying High Again” every Saturday night on FM radio I suddenly realized I was a fan. That’s how I came to love Foghat. The incessant airplay of those tracks you thought you hated to the point where you realized you loved them! Kind of like Journey’s “Wheel In The Sky” and “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'”.

I actually threw out Ozzy’s initial double live album. I didn’t want anybody to see it in my collection. But when Jeff Laufer called me back in the fall of ’91 to get tickets to see the Ozzman at what was then called the Universal Amphitheatre, I decided to spin Ozzy’s latest offering, “No More Tears.” I was blown away. On this record alone Ozzy deserves to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. There’s not a single bum track. There are so many winners you just spin it in amazement.

“I Don’t Want To Change The World”

Start here. Forget that “No More Tears” was the single. “I Don’t Want To Change The World” is the metalhead’s credo…

I don’t want to change the world
I don’t want the world to change me

Whew!

Life sucks. Just leave me with my music, it gets me by.

It’s fast like Metallica, it’s got a buzzsaw guitar that only appears in hard rock records, the kind that scares away those who don’t belong. And there are multiple changes and a screaming guitar solo and there’s an interlude in the middle you were not expecting that blows your mind.

Don’t tell me stories ’cause yesterday’s glories
Have gone away, so far away

Metal isn’t about the past, it’s about the present. That’s why it works. Nothing else matters…school, work, responsibility…the music crowds all that out.

And there’s even sarcastic humor:

Tell me I’m a sinner I got news for you
I spoke to God this morning and he don’t like you

Ha! Take that!

“I Don’t Want To Change The World” draws a line. You’re either on one side or the other. You like to bang your head or you’re a wimp. If this music doesn’t energize you, channel your anger and make you feel happy…put on your Carpenters records.

“Hellraiser”

Also cowritten by Lemmy…

This is so deep in the album, you’re stunned. By time you hit track 7, the songs should lose their edge, kind of like the last half hour of SNL. Instead “Hellraiser” separates the boys from the men. Can you party all night? Do you never get worn out? GOOD, COME RIGHT IN!

I’m living on an endless road
Around the world for rock and roll

This is what we all used to want, as late as 1991, when this album was released. To travel with the band. Feel the music, feel the groupies, getting high and ragged, living the life. The bankers may have money, but they ain’t got this.

Check out Lemmy’s version. It’s not as good, but it’s still special. Ozzy sings better, but Lemmy’s voice has character.

Meanwhile, the way the track breaks down and gets heavy at 3:35…this is what we LOVE about album rock. This feeling. Which seems to be completely gone from today’s landscape.

“Mr. Tinkertrain”

Not the best song on the album, which is like saying “Come Together” is not as good as “Here Comes The Sun,” nevertheless “Mr. Tinkertrain” is a fantastic opener, as good as any the Stones have employed in decades. There’s no pussyfooting. You’re right in Ozzy’s space, almost immediately. It’s dark, it’s dangerous…AND YOU’RE SO GLAD YOU OPENED THIS DOOR!

Your heart pulses to that bottom. Ozzy’s voice is so inviting!

“Mama, I’m Coming Home”

This is the kind of stuff Kid Rock cuts that crosses over to country today. But back in the last century, something this good could get MTV airplay, and “Mama I’m Coming Home” did. This is the Ozzy to close all those who think they dislike Ozzy.

“No More Tears”

The initial single. A veritable tour de force. The intro is a vibrating tuning fork of a sound that gets your attention and draws you in. And then it’s like a choir is singing in the background, you’re at metal church and finally your pastor Ozzy arrives, Zakk Wylde playing him on with a flourish.

“No More Tears” is more than seven minutes long and not a second of it is wasted. It’s like the anthem from hell.

Ozzy dominates, the change adds flavor, but it’s the raw sound of the instruments that blows your mind.

“Time After Time” & “Road To Nowhere”

Both ballads, both just about as good as “Mama I’m Coming Home,” you’re stunned there’s so much good music on this album as “Road To Nowhere” closes it. You’re worn out, wet with sweat, drenched and tired.

So we went to that show…

It was my first Ozzy experience. With him spraying the audience with water, leading them in a standing wave back and forth to “Mr. Crowley”…it was more than a concert, it was a religious rite. I was converted on the spot. I never said a bad word about Ozzy again. I took my nine year old nephew to see him at the Forum for his first concert. And Ozzy didn’t disappoint.

That was the “Ozzmosis” tour. And although the show was great, the album disappointed. Ozzy’s never come through since. He’s tried and tried and he keeps missing the mark. It looked like the special sauce was Zakk, but he couldn’t replicate the greatness…it’s like suddenly the Ozzman lost his path.

Then he went on TV and made a lot of money and ruined his career. Because suddenly Ozzy was owned by everybody, not just his hard core fans. Everybody knew he wasn’t dangerous, that was just an image, but now the Prince of Darkness was a two-dimensional character on the box and nothing chews up and spits out talent like television.

Ozzfest ran its course. Ozzy’s now reunited with Black Sabbath. And one could count him out, but I never will.

Because of “No More Tears.”

Rhinofy-No More Tears

Previous Rhinofy playlists

Stay in school.

I’ve known John Boyle for seventeen years. I met him here in Aspen as a matter of fact. A Good Time Charlie, Boyle’s bounced around the music business for decades. Running college tours, working for Irving, even managing Xzibit.

Then it all came to a crashing halt.

That’s what happens in the music business. Despite having a hit managing Alien Ant Farm, despite being involved in Xzibit’s TV show, the name of which I’ve already forgotten, illustrating the longevity of MTV hits, Boyle ran out of options.

So he went to business school.

And now he’s a completely different person. He learned something, and now he’s CFO of Insomniac, along with some touchy-feely title regarding business development, but that’s not the point.

The point is… My number one piece of advice for you in your musical career is to stay in school. There is a Justin Bieber. But what does Miley Cyrus do now? All she’s got is her fame, and hopefully a couple of bucks. You don’t want to be her, you want to plan for the future.

And if you’re going to college to get a career, I pity you. Everything you learn will become outdated. Broaden your horizons. Sure, get drunk and smoke some dope, but learn about the philosophers, learn how to think, and if you then want a career go to graduate school. As for the “New York Times” writing about everybody dropping out of college to go into tech… First and foremost, those kids drop out of the Ivies… Second, few succeed.

So today Boyle’s a changed man. And he talked about EDM and the Electric Daisy Carnival.

You know why I think electronic lasts? And I’m not absolutely sure that it does… It’s because it’s got the values of the audience. Today’s younger generations are all about being a member of the group. Baby boomers are about winning, about being stars. Gen Y and those even younger just want to be included. Furthermore, this music is theirs. Created by independent-minded people, it’s not what old men believe young ‘uns should listen to.

And the experience is spectacular.

It’s a whole new world out there. Driven by data and technology. Andrew Dreskin of Ticketfly spoke after Boyle. He’s all about social ticketing. The data is mindblowing. Just like Nate Silver revolutionized polling, geeks are gonna revolutionize ticketing. Dreskin knows where you bought the ticket, how you found out about the gig, Ticketfly is overflowing with data which you can use to sell more tickets.

But what people want to see most, what they want to go to most, is electronic.

Which has been around forever. Since Kraftwerk.

Philip Blaine told us the history of electronic music. Do you know it’s called house because it originated in the WareHOUSE?! Yup, in Chicago. Then came Detroit techno. There’s a lot of history here. And for all the music you say you can’t listen to, there’s tons you love. Like “Blue Monday.” And Kraftwerk’s “Computer World” (“Welt” in the German edition!) is one of the best records ever made. Just because you’re overwhelmed with the plethora of productions today doesn’t mean you can’t become a convert tomorrow.

Yes, there’s so much. And the show market is oversaturated in L.A. But there are growth opportunities elsewhere.

But festivals are the big kahuna.

And Las Vegas is the new Ibiza. The new destination. Where you go to listen to electronic music in the clubs in not only the Wynn, but the new room in the MGM, where they’re laying down so much money that…deejays are guaranteed twenty million dollars.

So first and foremost with Electric Daisy there’s a trailer… Actually, every Insomniac event has three videos. Advance, building the set and aftermath. You’d think bands would become hip to this. Marketing their essence via video. Instead, they’re still wrapped up in the eighties MTV clip model. Sell it like a movie, MTV is history!

And Insomniac spends a fortune on these videos. They’ve got six full time people working in the studio.

And tickets sell out in advance, with no acts announced, via said trailers. There’s essentially no advertising! Yup, YOU’RE buying ads in the newspaper, YOU’RE touting radio, and the most successful festival in America utilizes neither. It goes where the fans are, online, it lets the fans do the work.

Now one day all these fans might look at each other and say they’re done. But for now, they’re spreading the word. They want to go. They want their peeps to go. It’s nothing like a traditional show. At Electric Daisy, as well as the other festivals, the audience is part of the event, it’s the headliner, it’s the SHOW!

That’s why you dress up. That’s why you put on your happy face. You’re PERFORMING!

You think you want early success. You think you want it to be easy.

But the true winners function off the radar screen for years. They have wins and losses over decades.

Like John Boyle.

Greetings from Aspen Colorado where the snow is shitty and the hang is great.

Yup, it’s the annual Aspen Live conference

Aspen Live

which used to be populated by label people and now is almost exclusively attended by those focused on touring. Because that’s where the money is.

And the way you make money today is to forget everything you knew about yesterday. You’ve got to stop holding back and start giving in. Say yes, not no. Take it from Metallica. Befuddled by Napster, they’re leading the charge on Spotify. Think about that. If the biggest metal band in the world, one of the biggest acts in the world, managed by Cliff Burnstein, who was old school before there was a school, throws in with the streaming giant can it really be that bad? The last time Cliff got screwed he was playing quarters in elementary school. You’ve got to reevaluate constantly. What you knew six months ago might not apply today. Like EDM. Is it happening or peaking? Tiesto bombed in arenas but Kaskade sold out Staples. Huh? The jury is still out. But one thing we know is electronic is about the experience, they’ve got that nailed. So when Hank shoots EDM, he budgets extra, to shoot the show. I.e. the audience. Have you seen those trailers from Ultra, Electric Daisy and Hard? If you don’t want to be there, your genitals are not functioning. They reek of sex and a good time. And isn’t that what life is all about?

Anyway, Hank Neuberger is the streaming giant. He’s responsible for shooting Coachella, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. And he made a good point about the promoters of these festivals. That they’re the new moguls, the new Jac Holzmans, the new Ahmet Erteguns. They lay their money down and hold, they build…unlike the labels… HA!

So in streaming it’s all about sponsorship. Someone’s got to pay. $500-600,000 for a weekend. Wrigley wanted in. They sponsored Coachella. Now it’s YouTube.

Hank thinks others are going to join the fray. I’m not so sure. Only one company wins online. There’s one Facebook, one Amazon and one Google. Invent something new, don’t try to tread on them. You can lose billions, like Bing!

Google/YouTube has the infrastructure, the streaming ability, the salespeople… You can’t create that on a whim. Which is why Google paid so much for YouTube to begin with. Remember when everybody was laughing about the price? You’re not laughing now, as you sit through the ads!

And the Apple maps fiasco shows that even Cupertino cannot always equal Google. And that the tech companies are fighting to the death. If you’re not winning, you’re losing.

Hank shoots these shows in higher def than TV. 24 megabits a second instead of 8. So when you tune in, it looks unbelievable! And it does! It’s like you’re at the show. Which is why people stay and watch, up to 50 minutes for Coachella. Advertisers want those eyeballs.

And so do bands.

Radiohead didn’t want to say yes, but they had to, because everybody else did.

You see it’s all about being live live. Sharing the experience around the globe. You may be on your couch in Brooklyn, but you’re tweeting with your friend at the gig.

Does it cannibalize ticket sales?

Hell no. It’s not like being there. Otherwise people would log in for hours. It makes you want to go, it makes fans. Holding back is so last century, you want all the exposure you can get. Not the manufactured kind, working the old school media, but the human one to one kind fostered on the web.

So say yes to streaming. Say yes to archiving. 900,000 people watched Coldplay’s performance in the sixty day archive window. They wanted it, you’re going to deny them?

This is like refusing to put your stuff on iTunes. You don’t want to follow with tech, you want to lead.

How many festivals can stream?

Can there be consumer overload?

Will the acts ultimately want to participate in the license fee?

Will YouTube replace television? Music rates too low for traditional TV, but it works great online.

These are the issues we’re debating in Aspen right now.

I’ve got to go, to hang with my homies at the Belly Up.

Meanwhile, PRAY FOR SNOW!

HOBBYIST

Pays for his equipment.

PROFESSIONAL

Gets it for free.

HOBBYIST

Earns his living outside music, his career is first, music is second.

PROFESSIONAL

First goal is to give up his day job, second goal is to make a lot of money.

JOURNEYMAN

A subset of professional. A journeyman just loves to play, get high, go on the road, experience the camaraderie.

STAR

Needs to dominate. Being a member of the group is not enough. If he or she can’t make it to the very top, they’re disappointed.

STAR

Knows he must be batting 1000 in at least one department. Must be able to sing, play or is beautiful. In a perfect world, all three. If you’re not batting 1000 in one of these categories, either practice or admit you’re a hobbyist.

JOURNEYMAN

If you want to play behind the best, your first skill must be networking. Your second skill must be the ability to get along. Your third must be your playing. If you get in the door and can’t deliver musically, you’re going to wash out. If you’re a journeyman, practice is essential. You should never be the weak link. You should not only pick up where the front person is going, you should make him or her look better.

HOBBYIST

Has got no idea what it takes to make it. You can read “Billboard” and the rest of the trade magazines, they give you no idea how business is done, nor do any conferences or seminars illuminate the business fully. In order to know the business, you must know those in it. The music business is ruthless. Many want to be in it and it’s almost impossible to stay in it. Before you decry the person at the top, investigate how he got there and how he stays there.

STAR

Long or short term? Short term…go on TV, although that paradigm is evaporating as I write this. “X Factor” is a nonstarter, the new “Idol” will be irrelevant and “The Voice” will crater soon, just like “Millionaire.” Short term stars should think about getting out as soon as they get in. Become a movie star, tie in with the Fortune 500, you’re running a business, credibility is irrelevant. If you’re a long term star, your material is key, as is your credibility, think about tomorrow in every decision you make today.

HOBBYIST

Copies the riffs.

PROFESSIONAL

Creates the riffs.

HOBBYIST

Plays for money and complains the club owner is ripping him off.

PROFESSIONAL

Scalps his own tickets or keeps prices artificially low and employs paperless ticketing to get tickets in the hands of his fans.

HOBBYIST

Has no fans.

PROFESSIONAL

Relies on his fans. If your only fan is your label and radio, you’re in trouble.

JOURNEYMAN

Might have a few fans in the audience, but his fans are the stars.

HOBBYIST

Buys off the rack.

PROFESSIONAL

Believes in customization.

HOBBYIST

Is all about the truth.

PROFESSIONAL

Never speaks the truth in public.

JOURNEYMAN

Only speaks the truth to other journeymen. Otherwise, his job is in jeopardy.

HOBBYIST

Will never become a professional. He’s too wrapped up in his cocoon, he believes in safety, despite people telling him how good he is. It’s a personal leap of faith to professionalism, and he’s not willing to make it.

PROFESSIONAL

Exudes self-confidence. Is willing to risk everything to make it. Passion and desire are almost equal to talent.

HOBBYIST

Is afraid of getting screwed.

PROFESSIONAL

Has and will continue to get screwed until he becomes a superstar. If you haven’t been screwed, you haven’t made it.

JOURNEYMAN

Laughs about being screwed. His joy is in playing.

HOBBYIST

Has no manager.

PROFESSIONAL

Has a manager who is the secret to his success. Without a good manager, you’ve got no career.

JOURNEYMAN

Is his own manager. Nobody else cares that much.

HOBBYIST

Makes his records at home.

PROFESSIONAL

Makes his records in his engineer’s home.

JOURNEYMAN

Makes his records at home.

HOBBYIST

Thinks it’s all about luck and life isn’t fair.

PROFESSIONAL

Makes his own luck and isn’t concerned with fairness.

HOBBYIST

Has time to give his opinion.

PROFESSIONAL

Is too busy working to give an opinion.

HOBBYIST

Fields no offers. He creates demand.

PROFESSIONAL

Sifts through more offers as he gets more successful. Eventually gets to the point where he employs someone else to say no, so he doesn’t look bad.

JOURNEYMAN

Is a juggler. He’s thinking about not only this gig, but two down the line.

HOBBYIST

Is genuine all the time.

PROFESSIONAL

Is rarely genuine, he doesn’t trust people and is wary of being stepped on, having his career thwarted.

HOBBYIST

Talks like he knows everybody.

PROFESSIONAL

Actually knows everybody.

HOBBYIST

Pays for his concert tickets.

PROFESSIONAL

Can always get in, can always pay, but usually is invited for free and rarely shows up.

HOBBYIST

No one cares if he’s absent.

PROFESSIONAL

You feel his absence.

HOBBYIST

Sells crap. Stunned that the world doesn’t stop and see its “greatness.”

PROFESSIONAL

Doesn’t go to market without an ace, a killer song or production.

HOBBYIST

Wastes time arguing.

PROFESSIONAL

Has got no time. If he hits a roadblock, he finds another way.

HOBBYIST

Is thrilled to be playing live anywhere.

PROFESSIONAL

Will not play unless you pay him, no matter what the promotional advantages or how good the cause is (unless it’s a radio station show).

HOBBYIST

Can see today.

PROFESSIONAL

Can see tomorrow.

HOBBYIST

Is shocked that illicit favors have to be performed to get ahead.

PROFESSIONAL

Would blow anybody to get ahead, of either sex. It’s his one and only life and one and only career, nothing’s going to get in his way.