Hear Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Degradation Rules’ Featuring Tony Iommi
Ozzy Osbourne has teamed up with former Black Sabbath bandmate and guitarist Tony Iommi on his new solo single, "Degradation Rules."
While the four-minute song doesn’t sound exactly like a Sabbath piece, it features a number of their trademark touches, including harmonica, dramatic tempo changes and Iommi’s heavy riffing. It follows the story of a character who’s living a “twisted little fantasy” with “sticky little magazines”; as he spends his time “gambling with tragedy and doom” he sinks into a world of being “addicted to debauchery.” It’s explicitly self-explanatory. You can hear the song below.
"Degradation Rules" is the second single the Prince of Darkness has released from his upcoming solo album, Patient Number 9, which arrives on Sept. 9. He previewed the LP last month with the seven-and-a-half-minute title track, featuring Jeff Beck on guitar. Other six-string collaborators on the star-studded Patient Number 9 include Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme and Osbourne's stalwart solo guitarist Zakk Wylde.
Additionally, the album will feature Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and a posthumous appearance from Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins. Smith and McKagan also played on Osbourne's 2020 album Ordinary Man.
"Degradation Rules" marks the first time Osbourne and Iommi have collaborated outside of Black Sabbath. "It was really great working with Tony," Osbourne said in a recent fan Q&A. "He's the riff master. No one can touch him in that respect. I only wish we had these songs for Black Sabbath's 13 album."
Last month, Osbourne's wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, said the singer was "doing well and on the road to recovery" following major surgery. Sharon did not offer any details about the nature of the surgery, but she told the British TV show The Talk that it was "a very major operation" that was "really going to determine the rest of his life."
"I am now home from the hospital recuperating comfortably," Osbourne tweeted on June 15. "I am definitely feeling the love and support from all my fans and send everyone a big thank you for their thoughts, prayers and well wishes during my recovery."
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