OZZY OSBOURNE On Rap, BLACK SABBATH And His Wife's Success

John Soeder of The Plain Dealer has released the following quotes from a recent interview with Ozzy Osbourne:

On rap music: "I'm not so hot on rap music. The thing about that is, some of the lyrics are so [expletive] good. If they're that good, why can't they put a musical tune to it? I've heard some of these lyrics, and they're [expletive] wonderful. If you was to walk down the road, singing a [expletive] rap song, I don't think you'd get very far. I think you'd go [expletive] mad. There's no melody."

On what he listens to these days: "Paul McCartney sent me a copy of his new album, which I've been playing lately."

On the good life: "If you would've told me, 40 years ago, When you're older, you'll have a house in Beverly Hills,' I would've [expletive] gone, What's that?' I'm a lucky guy."

On the smell of success: "I use this cologne, and I have for many years. It's called Czech & Speake No. 88. People know I'm coming in the [expletive] room before I get out of the elevator. It's really a good smell."

On checking out other Ozzfest acts: "To be honest with you, I just do my thing and go. I've been doing it a lot of years, man. I don't get there at 8 o'clock in the morning and watch the bands when I'm not playing."

On his relationship today with the other members of BLACK SABBATH: "We're all friends again. We were enemies for a long while. We're all getting older, y'know. It's like getting divorced. When you split from a band that you started off with, it's just like getting divorced. Same emotions."

On his wife's success: "Sharon's book ['Sharon Osbourne Extreme: My Autobiography'] was the biggest autobiography in history in England. It was there for [expletive] . . . 12 weeks or 10 weeks at No. 1. My wife is a big celebrity now in England. She does England's version of 'American Idol'. It's called 'The X-Factor'. It's kinda cool for me, 'cause I can take a back seat."

On his wife's cooking: "If someone was to ask me the greatest luxury I have, it's that I have a chef. Sharon used to cook for prisoners, I think. [Expletive] — you'd end up in an emergency ward! She can't cook."

On getting into the Rock Hall again someday as a solo artist: "We'll wait and see."

On mooning the audience when BLACK SABBATH was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame last year: "Everyone was sitting like they're at a [expletive] funeral. So I livened the place up. They loved it."

On the possibility he might do the same at the Rock Hall ceremony: "No. New Yorkers have seen my [expletive] more than I have."