How Ozzy Osbourne almost became the lead singer of Van Halen

On By Yukito

Van Halen sang about “Runnin’ with the Devil” in 1978.

However, decades after the release of this classic rock band on their self-titled debut, they played with the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne, when he almost became the band’s lead singer.

Following appearances by David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and Extreme’s Gary Cherone, the group was between frontmen around 2001 when its brothers, Eddie and Alex Van Halen, were in talks for Osbourne to deliver his signature wail to VH .

With its original lineup – Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth and Alex and Eddie Van Halen – Van Halen topped the charts in 1984 with “Jump”. Getty Images

“When you get a dog, you don’t expect it to be a cat,” Alex told Rolling Stone in his first interview since guitar god Eddie’s death in 2020. “When you get Ozzy, you get Ozzy. Turn on the music and he will sing and it will be great.”

Osbourne – who will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the second time on Saturday, and his solo induction follows his solo album with Black Sabbath in 2006 – confirms he almost made the jump to Van Halen.

“Yes, we have discussed it,” he wrote in an email to Rolling Stone. “It’s something that, if it came to fruition, would be phenomenal. “Eddie and Alex were great friends of mine for a very long time and I regret that we were never together.”

Blame it on MTV: Just as he was ready to start work on Van Halen’s album, Osbourne and his manager, wife Sharon, met with the network and their reality show, “The Osbournes,” was born.

“Unfortunately, The Osbournes have prevented the creation of new music,” Osbourne wrote.

“I wish we had never recorded this,” Ozzy Osbourne said, saying he almost fronted a Van Halen album. REUTERS

Another legendary rocker — Chris Cornell — was also once a potential VH frontman after jamming with the Van Halen brothers. After Eddie left, Alex had a one-on-one session with the Soundgarden singer.

“Chris was, so to speak, at a very delicate point in his life,” Alex recalled of Cornell, who died by suicide in 2017. “I stood behind the drums and he started playing bass. We played for 45 minutes.

“That motherfucker got so into it he started bleeding,” he continued. “I said, ‘This is the man you want.’ And then he died.”

“I said, ‘This is the man you want,’” Alex Van Halen recalled of how Chris Cornell was able to become Van Halen’s frontman after a jam session with the Soundgarden singer. “And then he died.” Environmental Protection Agency

After Eddie’s death after a long battle with throat cancer, Alex planned to continue Van Halen with a tour that would reunite the band with original vocalist Roth, while also bringing in Joe Satriani on guitar. However, after several early attempts, the tour was discontinued.

“What broke the camel’s back… was when I said, ‘Dave, at some point we need to very openly – not with a bow – but acknowledge Ed at the show,'” Alex told Rolling Stone.

“And the moment I said we had to come clean about Ed, Dave… it was like he blew a fuse… The venom that came out was unbelievable.”

“To find Ed’s replacement? It’s not the same anymore,” Alex Van Halen (right, in 1978) said of his late brother Eddie. Getty Images

Even though the tour between the band members has come to a bitter end, Alex is philosophical about it.

“On the one hand it’s bad, on the other it’s OK,” he said. “Because now, in hindsight, playing old songs isn’t really paying tribute to anyone. In my opinion, it’s like a jukebox.

“To find Ed’s replacement? It’s just not the same.”