Ozzy Returns in Summer 2010

by Landon James

The Prince of Pop may have left the building but the Prince of Darkness is still in.

Ozzy Osbourne has announced that Ozzfest, his annual summer music festival, will be returning in full force come the summer of 2010. Following Osbourne’s “Black Rain” release in May 2007, Osbourne took a summer off from Ozzfest in 2009 to work on his next solo album. Originally entitled “Soul Sucka,” Osbourne has recently reconsidered the title after disgruntled Internet fans expressed complete disapproval.

Osbourne’s now-untitled album is set for release in July and will be his 10th solo album to date. More importantly, it will be the first time long-standing lead guitarist Zakk Wylde will not be featured as part of Osbourne’s line up since joining the band in 1988. Instead, celebrated Grecian guitarist Kostas Karamitrodoudis, also known as Gus G., will take Wylde’s place and attempt to carry on the guitarist legacy.

“No, I haven’t fallen out with Zakk,” explained Osbourne in a recent article in Rolling Stone magazine. “I mean, he doesn’t need me anymore. I knew I had to get another guitar player for a while. I just kept putting it off and putting it off.”

However, Osbourne isn’t putting off any of his work and is currently holding book signings across the nation for his new autobiography, “I AM OZZY.” However, unless you live in a major city, don’t expect Osbourne to come stumbling through your local Borders.

Osbourne won’t keep his fans waiting until summer for nothing and promises that Ozzfest will return stronger and better than in 2008. In addition, Osbourne plans on launching a monstrous tour following the July release of what hopefully will be a titled album at that point.

“After Ozzfest I’m doing the most extensive tour of my life. It’ll be something like, 3,025 dates,” Osbourne told Rolling Stone.

But Osbourne wasn’t finished there, expressing no intentions of retiring just yet.

“I’m sure at some time I’ll be face down in a box with a pine door closing over me. In the meantime, this is what I do. Sometimes I’m OK, sometimes I have a good time, and sometimes my voice blows out, but I still have fun. It’s not like a job,” said Osbourne as only the Prince of Darkness could.

For Osbourne fans, begin preparing for what looks to be an Ozzy-filled summer.