Re:Visiting: Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears (1991)

Ozzy Osbourne (RIP) … The Prince of Darkness, had a virtually unrivalled and illustrious career in Rock Music spanning over half a century. Having all but helped invent Heavy Metal as we know it today during his original run in Black Sabbath (1968 – 1979), Ozzy would then go on to have a hugely successful solo career after being sacked from the band he co-founded. A career which all began with the release of Blizzard of Ozz in 1980, and one which would span thirteen studio albums all the way though to Patient Number 9 in 2022.

And one of his finest pieces of work in that time is unquestionably No More Tears (1991), celebrating its 35th anniversary in September 2026. For many, his sixth solo release is the quintessential Ozzy album. It came at a crossroads in his career, and during a change in the tide of Rock and Heavy Metal; as the eighties ended and the nineties brought with it the surge of Grunge and new Alternative styles of heavy music for a new generation.

In many ways Ozzy was lucky to make it out of the eighties at all, having lived a hell-raising lifestyle of Rock ‘N Roll excess that had continued from his hedonistic days with Sabbath in the seventies. Incessant touring in a haze of drugs and alcohol, changing band members, and a string of iconic albums including Diary of a Madman (1981), Bark at the Moon (1983), and The Ultimate Sin (1986) … saw Ozzy cement the legendary Rock Star status he built for himself. But the wheels had almost certainly come off a number of times.

Most notably with the death of his virtuoso guitarist Randy Rhoads in 1982, the result of a small plane flight gone wrong after it clipped the bands tour bus whilst the pilot was showing off. A tragedy that almost broke Ozzy, who would subsequently go through a number of unsuitable replacement guitarists. Jake E. Lee would eventually cement himself as Ozzy’s guitarist for the majority of the eighties, but after he parted ways with the singer it would be the discovery of the young unknown shredder Zakk Wylde for Ozzy’s fifth album No Rest for the Wicked (1988), that would inject a fresh lease of life in his band.

Wylde would prove to be a kindred spirit, although his own heavy drinking and excess partying may not have had the best influence on Ozzy; and the No Rest for the Wicked tour was a period fraught with personal and legal problems for the singer. But Wylde’s guitar-playing and songwriting with Ozzy would really shine though on No More Tears, with many of his guitar leads taking on a Bluesey-Southern Rock influence which was new territory for Ozzy’s sound.

Drummer Randy Castillo would also have a strong impact on the album’s songs, while an old friend – Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilminster – would have a hand in writing many of the lyrics. ‘Mr. Tinkertrain’ is a hell of way to open both the record and the new decade for Ozzy; with sleazy sinister lyrics, but an incredibly catchy chorus … the song is a slice of infectious Heavy Rock with a real crunch on Wylde’s guitar. ‘Desire’ is another sumptuous heavier moment with Ozzy waxing lyrical and philosophising about his life as a rockstar, while ‘Hellraiser’ – with lyrics penned by Lemmy – celebrates Ozzy’s years of Rock ‘N Roll excess.

Ozzy and his band created a plethora of fine songs on No More Tears; from the excellent ‘S.I.N’ to the groovy Halloween-esq ‘Zombie Stomp.’ ‘I Don’t Want to Change the World’ would win Ozzy a Grammy, while the title track – written around an intoxicating bassline from touring bassist Mike Inez – is one of the very finest of Ozzy’s repertoire. And as he was always inclined to do, Ozzy would also show he wasn’t scared to slow the tempo down on songs like ‘Road to Nowhere,’ and the delectable ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’ … featuring lyrics once more from Motörhead’s Lemmy.

No More Tears would be the final Ozzy record to feature Blizzard of Oz / Diary of a Madman bassist Bob Daisley (with Mike Inez taking over duties immediately following the recording). It would also be the last for drummer Randy Castillo. But it would prove to be one of Ozzy’s biggest selling albums – over 8 million copies sold worldwide – hitting number seven in the US Billboard charts, and number seventeen in the UK. A true success story during an unexpectedly strong period in his career, and within the wider changing musical landscape.

At the time, Ozzy had decided the album would signal the end of his career, and the No More Tours run of shows would end up immortalised on the 1993 record Live & Loud. Of course his retirement was ultimately short lived, and Ozzy would return with another banger – Ozzmosis – in 1995. While in the subsequent 30 years his team would create the Ozzfest touring festival, Ozzy would intermittently reform with Black Sabbath; and he would continue to perform and release music right up until the end. His appearance at the ‘Back to the Beginning’ show commemorating his career, would end up being his last … performing just 17 days before his passing on 22.07.2025 at the age of 77. KZ

Words by Abstrakt_Soul