Richie Castellano
Encyclopedia
Richie Castellano is an American
singer
, songwriter
and musician
. He is best known for his work as rhythm guitar
and keyboard
player for the band Blue Öyster Cult
.
, New York City
on 7 February 1980. The Castellano family moved to Staten Island
in 1985. He began to study guitar
at the age of seven. Among his early musical influences were Elvis Presley
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Little Richard
, Buddy Holly
, and Ritchie Valens
. By the early 1990s, influenced by the Beatles
, he began songwriting
, as well as recording on a 16-track
reel-to-reel
studio he had assembled in the basement of his house. Later influences included Yes
, Genesis
, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
. He also cites the music of Queen
as an important influence on the development of his musical style.
After spending his first semester of high school at Port Richmond, Staten Island
, Castellano transferred to Curtis High School
in Staten Island, where he joined the Curtis High School Guitar Ensemble. At that time, Castellano met Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
, who became one of his most important mentors. In 1997, inspired in part by Thal's 1995 debut solo album The Adventures of Bumblefoot
, Castellano recorded a 13-song solo concept album
. This album, entitled Alone In My Basement, was surprisingly successful, selling out of its initial pressing within one month of its release. He won two songwriting awards for one of the songs from Alone In My Basement. The album was also acclaimed in EQ magazine for the unusual methods employed in its recording and production. He won a competition to write a song for his high school graduation. Castellano graduated from Curtis High School in 1998.
in 1998. He majored in Studio Production, studying the then-new practice of digital recording
. From 1999-2001, he produced
and engineered
Regina Spektor
's debut album, 11:11, which was self-released on CD
on 9 July 2001. During the summer of 2000, Castellano studied advanced digital recording techniques and audio engineering at Wave Studio in Staten Island, under the instruction of Ron Thal. Castellano assisted Thal with the production of his album, Uncool
. That year, he also began his association with Blue Öyster Cult as a substitute Front of House engineer. Also around this time, he and one of his professors, Grammy Award
-nominated producer Dr. Joe Ferry
, were involved in a band, "Richie & the Pocketrockets". This band released one album, entitled Touch of Blue: The Blues Tribute to the Grateful Dead, on CMH Records
on 21 August 2001.
Upon earning his Bachelor's degree
in music production (graduating summa cum laude
), he immediately began graduate studies under the tutelage of Dr. Ferry, while also working as a staff producer at Ferry's record label, Larchmont Records. Castellano earned his Master's degree
in Music from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music in December, 2002. Shortly after that, he left Larchmont Records and Richie & the Pocketrockets broke up.
in Las Vegas, Nevada
on 18 September 2004, shortly after Danny Miranda left the band. He remained in that position until early 2007, when original member Allen Lanier
retired from the band. At that time, Castellano filled the position of rhythm guitar and keyboards, while Danny Miranda returned briefly to fill the position of bassist. By April 2007, the bass guitar
position was filled by Rudy Sarzo
on a semi-permanent basis.
Castellano has blended into the band virtually seamlessly. For example, at the "Hawgs of Texas" Show at Somerville Lake
near Brenham, Texas
on 28 April 2007, Castellano demonstrated quick thinking when his bandmate Buck Dharma
experienced a sudden failure of the battery pack for his Steinberger
guitar (the "Cheeseberger"). Without missing a beat, he plugged into Dharma's effects unit
and proceeded to play the first part of Dharma's solo, then handed his guitar over to Dharma as lead singer Eric Bloom
passed his own guitar over to Castellano. Click here to see a video of this event.
Music Man
. Chief among these are the Axis, Axis Super Sport, Silhouette Special, and Sterling. He also uses the Line 6 X2 XDS Plus wireless guitar system.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He is best known for his work as rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
and keyboard
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
player for the band Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
.
Early years:1980-1998
A fifth generation musician, Richie Castellano was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 7 February 1980. The Castellano family moved to Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
in 1985. He began to study guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
at the age of seven. Among his early musical influences were Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, and Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
. By the early 1990s, influenced by the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, he began songwriting
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, as well as recording on a 16-track
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
reel-to-reel
Reel-to-reel audio tape recording
Reel-to-reel, open reel tape recording is the form of magnetic tape audio recording in which the recording medium is held on a reel, rather than being securely contained within a cassette....
studio he had assembled in the basement of his house. Later influences included Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
. He also cites the music of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
as an important influence on the development of his musical style.
After spending his first semester of high school at Port Richmond, Staten Island
Port Richmond, Staten Island
Port Richmond is a neighborhood situated on the North Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, United States. It is along the waterfront of the Kill Van Kull, with the southern terminus of the Bayonne Bridge serving as the boundary between it and Mariners Harbor, the...
, Castellano transferred to Curtis High School
Curtis High School
Curtis High School operated by the New York City Department of Education is one of seven public high schools located in Staten Island, New York City, New York. It was founded on February 9, 1904 and was the first high school on Staten Island.-History:...
in Staten Island, where he joined the Curtis High School Guitar Ensemble. At that time, Castellano met Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
Ronald Jay Blumenthal , better known by his stage name Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, is a Jewish-American guitarist, songwriter, recording artist and producer. Thal adopted the name Bumblefoot from the bacterial infection of the same name, which he learned about while helping his wife review for her...
, who became one of his most important mentors. In 1997, inspired in part by Thal's 1995 debut solo album The Adventures of Bumblefoot
The Adventures of Bumblefoot
The Adventures of Bumblefoot is the debut solo studio album by recording artist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal released in May 1995. All song titles were derived from the names of various animal diseases. Everything was recorded in Thal’s parent’s basement with some songs already previously recorded...
, Castellano recorded a 13-song solo concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
. This album, entitled Alone In My Basement, was surprisingly successful, selling out of its initial pressing within one month of its release. He won two songwriting awards for one of the songs from Alone In My Basement. The album was also acclaimed in EQ magazine for the unusual methods employed in its recording and production. He won a competition to write a song for his high school graduation. Castellano graduated from Curtis High School in 1998.
College and graduate school:1998-2002
Castellano enrolled in the Conservatory of Music at the State University of New York at PurchaseState University of New York at Purchase
Purchase College, State University of New York, is a public four-year college located in Purchase, New York, United States. It is one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the State University of New York system...
in 1998. He majored in Studio Production, studying the then-new practice of digital recording
Digital recording
In digital recording, digital audio and digital video is directly recorded to a storage device as a stream of discrete numbers, representing the changes in air pressure for audio and chroma and luminance values for video through time, thus making an abstract template for the original sound or...
. From 1999-2001, he produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and engineered
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor
Regina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...
's debut album, 11:11, which was self-released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
on 9 July 2001. During the summer of 2000, Castellano studied advanced digital recording techniques and audio engineering at Wave Studio in Staten Island, under the instruction of Ron Thal. Castellano assisted Thal with the production of his album, Uncool
Uncool (Bumblefoot album)
- Track listing :-Credits:*LaFrae Olivia Sci - drums on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7*Sanford Oxenbery - drums on tracks 9, 11*Joe Bergamini - drums on tracks 5, 8, 10*Joe Bedford - drums on "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"...
. That year, he also began his association with Blue Öyster Cult as a substitute Front of House engineer. Also around this time, he and one of his professors, Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-nominated producer Dr. Joe Ferry
Joe Ferry
Dr. Joe Ferry is a Westchester County, New York-based record producer. Over the course of his 30+ year career, he has received multiple Grammy nominations and has procuced records and played bass for numerous artists, including The Skatalites, Dr...
, were involved in a band, "Richie & the Pocketrockets". This band released one album, entitled Touch of Blue: The Blues Tribute to the Grateful Dead, on CMH Records
CMH Records
Founded in 1975, CMH Records is a Los Angeles based independent country and bluegrass label with several subsidiary labels, including Vitamin Records, Crosscheck, Dwell, and Rockabye Baby!, which release diverse styles of music including string quartet tributes, punk, metal, and lullabies,...
on 21 August 2001.
Upon earning his Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in music production (graduating summa cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
), he immediately began graduate studies under the tutelage of Dr. Ferry, while also working as a staff producer at Ferry's record label, Larchmont Records. Castellano earned his Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Music from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music in December, 2002. Shortly after that, he left Larchmont Records and Richie & the Pocketrockets broke up.
Blue Öyster Cult: 2003-present
In December 2003, Castellano accompanied Blue Öyster Cult on a tour to Germany as their sound engineer; the band played venues in 13 different cities in 20 days. Castellano first performed with Blue Öyster Cult as bass guitaristBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
on 18 September 2004, shortly after Danny Miranda left the band. He remained in that position until early 2007, when original member Allen Lanier
Allen Lanier
Allen Lanier was an original member of Blue Öyster Cult. Lanier played keyboards and rhythm guitar. He currently resides in Manhattan....
retired from the band. At that time, Castellano filled the position of rhythm guitar and keyboards, while Danny Miranda returned briefly to fill the position of bassist. By April 2007, the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
position was filled by Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo is a Cuban American hard rock/heavy metal bassist. Sarzo has played with many well known heavy metal acts including Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dio and Blue Öyster Cult.-Early life:...
on a semi-permanent basis.
Castellano has blended into the band virtually seamlessly. For example, at the "Hawgs of Texas" Show at Somerville Lake
Somerville Lake
Somerville Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on Yegua Creek in the Brazos River basin, 10 miles northwest of Brenham, Texas, USA. The town of Somerville in Burleson County is adjacent to the reservoir. The lake extends into portions of Burleson County, Washington County, and Lee...
near Brenham, Texas
Brenham, Texas
Brenham is a city in east-central Texas in Washington County, Texas, United States, with a population of 16,147 according to the 2009 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
on 28 April 2007, Castellano demonstrated quick thinking when his bandmate Buck Dharma
Buck Dharma
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser is an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being a member of Blue Öyster Cult since the group's formation in 1967...
experienced a sudden failure of the battery pack for his Steinberger
Steinberger
Steinberger refers to a series of distinctive electric guitars and bass guitars, designed and originally manufactured by Ned Steinberger. The word Steinberger can be used to refer to either the instruments themselves or the company that produced them...
guitar (the "Cheeseberger"). Without missing a beat, he plugged into Dharma's effects unit
Effects unit
Effects units are electronic devices that alter how a musical instrument or other audio source sounds. Some effects subtly "color" a sound, while others transform it dramatically. Effects are used during live performances or in the studio, typically with electric guitar, keyboard and bass...
and proceeded to play the first part of Dharma's solo, then handed his guitar over to Dharma as lead singer Eric Bloom
Eric Bloom
Eric Bloom is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the main vocalist, and "stunt guitar" for the long-running band Blue Öyster Cult, with work on over 20 albums...
passed his own guitar over to Castellano. Click here to see a video of this event.
Awards and recognition
- 1996: Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
soloist award - 1998: first place award in the songwriting competition of the Songwriters Hall of FameSongwriters Hall of FameThe Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
- 1998: third place award in the "World of Expression" Scholarship Program competition of the Bertelsmann FoundationBertelsmann FoundationThe Bertelsmann Foundation is the largest private operating non-profit foundation in Germany, created in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn. The Bertelsmann Foundation holds 77.4 percent of Bertelsmann AG....
(now known as the Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
Creative Writing Competition)
Equipment
Castellano currently uses guitars manufactured by Ernie BallErnie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
Music Man
Music Man (company)
Music Man is an American guitar, and bass guitar manufacturer. It is a division of the Ernie Ball corporation.-Early years:The Music Man story began in 1971 when Forrest White and Tom Walker talked with Leo Fender about starting a company they would call Tri-Sonic, Inc...
. Chief among these are the Axis, Axis Super Sport, Silhouette Special, and Sterling. He also uses the Line 6 X2 XDS Plus wireless guitar system.
Outside work
In addition to his position in Blue Öyster Cult, Castellano teaches guitar, bass, and recording at his family's music store (Castellano's House of Music) in Staten Island on a private basis.Trivia
- Castellano's father, John Castellano, was guitarist for The Chambers BrothersThe Chambers BrothersThe Chambers Brothers is a soul-music group, best known for its 1968 hit record, the 11-minute long song "Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions with modern psychedelic and rock elements, spawning a heady mix...
in 1971. That year, by a strange coincidence, the Chambers Brothers performed on the same bill with Blue Öyster Cult.
- Castellano is one of the children who appear in the background of Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's Greatest Love of AllGreatest Love of All"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer...
music video. Filmed in late 1984, Castellano was only four years old at the time. He appears as a young guitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, though it is somewhat difficult to see him because the guitar stringsStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
on the headstockHeadstockHeadstock or peghead is a part of guitar or similar stringed instrument. The main function of a headstock is holding the instrument's strings. Strings go from the bridge past the nut and are usually fixed on machine heads on headstock...
of his guitar kept getting caught in the dress of Houston's mother, Cissy HoustonCissy HoustonEmily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
.
- As a senior at Curtis High School and member of the Guitar Ensemble (CHSGE), Castellano had the opportunity to meet one of his role models, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, when he visited the set of The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
in ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
on 20 November 1997. Apparently, Castellano was able to talk McCartney into singing with the CHSGE the following June at the Lincoln Center for the Performing ArtsLincoln Center for the Performing ArtsLincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
.
- While working for CMH Records and Larchmont Records, Castellano and Ron Thal recorded music that ended up on the second (2003) season of MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's The OsbournesThe OsbournesThe Osbournes is an American reality television program featuring the domestic life of heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne and his family. The series premiered on MTV on March 5, 2002, and in its first season, was cited as the most-viewed series ever on MTV...
. During the Fists of Fury episode, you can hear him singing a lounge version of Ozzy OsbourneOzzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
's song, Flying High AgainFlying High Again"Flying High Again" is a song by British heavy metal rock artist Ozzy Osbourne. It is the second track on his 1981 album, Diary of a Madman. It reached number sixteen on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the U.S. Top Rock Tracks chart in 1982....
.