Summertime Spin

SUMMERTIME SPIN: Ozzy Osbourne- THE ULTIMATE SIN (1986)

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I purchased “The Ultimate Sin” on cassette tape back in the spring of ’86 right before summer hit and this one (along with some others) for the longest time, was a favourite of mine in my trusty old Walkman!

Ozzy was on a creative roll after the awesome debut of Jake E Lee on ’83’s “Bark At The Moon” in which Jake showed up with a bag of riffs and laid down some serious guitar chops and continued Ozzy’s success . The thanks Jake got for “Bark At The Moon” was squat in the songwriting credits but this would change for the “Ultimate Sin”.

Ron Nevison fresh from bringing the band “Heart” off of  life support a year earlier in which that self titled album sold millions. Ron was tasked at hand at dialling it in with Ozzy and the band.

“Ultimate Sin” in 2021 is kinda the forgotten album in the Osbourne solo catalog. Why? I have no idea but I’m sure its business related and personal as we all know Sharon’s deal right?

Anyhoo…

Ultimate Sin has a good batch of tunes. Is it as good as “Bark At The Moon”? In my opinion no but this record had some killer riffs and songs.

Actually listening to it now there’s really no bad tunes it’s just that Nevison tried making a heavy metal Heart album. Whereas Bark At The Moon had a production style to its own Ultimate Sin doesn’t.

The songs can’t be knocked as the title track opens the album and it just crushes and launches right into “Secret Loser”. Thats a good starter pack right there as Jake smokes that fret board.

I will say that each song has some good Ozz and Jake value. The crowning achievement on this record is the stellar “Killer of Giants” which slowly builds up until it lifts off. What a great track as Jake delivers the goods on this track.

“Shot In The Dark” (written by Ozzy and Bassist Phil Soussan) was the big video/song from this record and helped propel the album up the charts.

So for Ozzy having Jake along (Bob Daisley co wrote 8 of the tracks with Jake and Ozzy) in the drivers seat helped keep Ozzy playing the arenas whereas his old band Black Sabbath was changing lineups quicker than a McDonalds worker flipping patties!

In what has to be one of my rock n roll blunders was when I had an opportunity to catch this tour In Minneapolis in early July of 86 in Minneapolis as I had to decline as I working full time that summer.

My thinking was no biggie I will catch Ozzy next time.

Well that was partially true. I caught Ozzy not o the next tour but on Ozzy’s “No More Tour Tours” back in July ’92!

That was no big deal but what I missed out on was that July ’86 show was Metallica opening for Ozzy when Cliff Burton was still alive.

Damn…

I have this on vinyl which my pal El Donko passed onto me. It’s a little worn but I have never seen this out there in the wilds so this beat up copy will do for now!

 

 

 

41 thoughts on “SUMMERTIME SPIN: Ozzy Osbourne- THE ULTIMATE SIN (1986)”

  1. A very underrated Ozzy album in my book. It was first Ozzy album and I got it on CD if I remember back in 86. I played this thing all the time. Killer of Giants, Secret Loser, Ultimate Sin and Thank God for the Bomb as well as Shot in the Dark are all favorites of mine.

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  2. This is impossible to find on vinyl! Even beat up! It is too bad that Ozzy completely ignores this one now. Is the correct order of the tracklist in the photo? My CD starts with the title track.

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    1. That track listing on the back cover is in the wrong order. My copy starts off with the title track as well.
      In Ted Templemen’s book he talked about that the tracks listed on the back covers were the original running orders of the albums at one point as the artwork would be submitted months before the release date and sometimes the band at the last minute would change up the order of songs on the album before they submitted the tapes in.
      I always wondered that myself Kev but it comes down to deadlines more than anything but makes its interesting as well!

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      1. That makes sense. I have a few albums that are like that. The order on the sleeve is completely wrong. I guess last minute changes to the artwork was as easy as a few clicks on a computer like it is today.

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      1. I’ve played it this afternoon after reading your post. Still love it. I was mowing the lawn this time not raging in a basement rehearsal room but it still feels awesome. Ozzy is the best man!!

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  4. You know I always appreciate a good comparison, Deke – here the relative speed of Sabbath lineup changes vs. hamburger flips jumped out!
    I didn’t recognize the name or cover of this at all, interesting that it’s become the forgotten album in his discography.
    And I think one of the big lessons we’ve all learned in this pandemic is instead of waiting until the next time (as I was often guilty of), when we get a chance to see a band, we better see them!

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    1. I know this is up on the streaming sites like Apple and Amazon so its not totally forgotten but in the big picture it is.
      It will be interesting to see when a show hits Tbay as well Geoff. But back in 86 I was working pretty much all summer to save up enough money to carry through the school year so I could buy records and mags.lol and at times beer!
      So that Ozzy trip would have derailed that plan plus I was the relief student guy to fill in the gaps so the full timers could get vacation. Sacrifices lol…
      Funny enough I was telling Sue the other day I guess there was a reason why I saw a lot of shows in 2019 here in town (John 5, Sloan, Monster Truck, Teenage Head, Anvil) and Maiden in Vancouver.
      It must have been a sign! lol

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  5. You know my views on this. I love it. This era of Ozzy hooked me as a fan.

    Couldn’t stop laughing at this Deke:

    whereas his old band Black Sabbath was changing lineups quicker than a McDonalds worker flipping patties!

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  6. I’m not the worlds biggest fan but I remember his albums and album covers…I’m drawing a blank on this one completely dude. I remember Blizzard of Oz, Diary of a Madman, and Bark at the Moon in the 80s…and no I didn’t look them up. Was this one as big as those? I can’t believe I’m drawing a blank…and I would have remembered that cover!
    I did go to youtube and played Shot in the Dark…that I do remember…now I’ll go and flip some patties lol.

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    1. The Ultimate Sin sold 2 million so it did good but a lot of albums back in the 80s sold that which in todays time would be the best selling album of the year lol
      For the Ozzy fan we know this one but for the casual fan not so much. Good job doing someone homework and tracking down that video on Youtube.
      Don’t get carried away though as you don’t want those patties to burn on the grill!
      Cheers pal…

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  8. Thisbis my favorite Ozzy record without Randy Rhoads. Jake E. Lee’s riffage is out of control on this one. “Never” is just insane. Nevison coaxed a great vocal performance from Ozzy on this one. I believe it’s the only Ozzy album with a single vocal track instead of them being doubled or trippled.

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  9. Also a summertime spin for me! Different summer though — 89.

    You know, I think Nevison was fine. He did what the job was — to get some of these rock artists on the charts. And he did a pretty good job.

    I don’t play this a whole lot, but I like it when I do. It always confused me that there was a song called “Never Know Why” and another called “Never”. “Killer of Giants” is still pretty good.

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    1. True about Nevison Mikey. He made bands hits and record companies loved him for it. Funny enough you can hear Ron’s work on “Sport of Kings” by Triumph before they parted ways as the more I think about that record is right in his wheelhouse as well.
      I need to pull that record out.

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    1. Lol. Well that takes it to a whole other level. But now that you mention it has that bootleg feel..check back here tomorrow for an actual bootleg!
      Hows that for cheap ass promotion!??

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