No Rest for the Wicked (Ozzy Osbourne album)

Summary

No Rest for the Wicked is the fifth solo studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. It was released on 28 September 1988,[5] and was re-issued / remastered on 22 August 1995, and again on 25 June 2002. The album was certified gold in December 1988 and has since gone double platinum.[5] It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200.[6] It was the first album to feature guitarist Zakk Wylde, keyboardist John Sinclair and the first to feature bassist Bob Daisley since Bark at the Moon.

No Rest for the Wicked
Cover photography by Bob Carlos Clarke
Studio album by
Released28 September 1988
Recorded1988
StudioEnterprise Studios and Goodnight L.A. Studios, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genre
Length43:08
LabelEpic/CBS
Producer
Ozzy Osbourne chronology
Tribute
(1987)
No Rest for the Wicked
(1988)
Just Say Ozzy
(1990)
Singles from No Rest for the Wicked
  1. "Miracle Man"
    Released: October 1988 (UK)[1]
  2. "Crazy Babies"
    Released: February 1989
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Martin Popoff[3]
Rolling Stone[4]

Overview edit

No Rest for the Wicked is the recording debut of lead guitarist Zakk Wylde.[7] After firing lead guitarist Jake E. Lee in 1987, Osbourne received a demo tape from Wylde and later hired him after an audition.

Bassist/lyricist Bob Daisley made his return to Osbourne's band after the two had a falling out in 1985. Once the album's recording was complete, Daisley was once again out, replaced by Osbourne's former Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler for subsequent promotional tours.

"Miracle Man", "Crazy Babies", and "Breakin' All the Rules" were released as singles with accompanying music videos. The song "Hero" was an unlisted hidden bonus track on the original 1988 CD and cassette releases. The song "Miracle Man" was a pointed barb aimed at televangelist Jimmy Swaggart. Swaggart had long been critical of Osbourne's music and live performances, before he himself was involved in a 1988 prostitution scandal.[8] The song "Bloodbath in Paradise" references Charles Manson and the Manson Family murders.

Creative Director John Carver was hired by Osbourne's management to conceptualize and direct the album sleeve for "No Rest For the Wicked". Carver's concept was to portray Osbourne as Jesus Christ, with photographer Bob Carlos Clarke taking the cover photo.

Track listing edit

Standard Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Miracle Man"Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde, Bob Daisley3:44
2."Devil's Daughter (Holy War)"Osbourne, Wylde, John Sinclair, Randy Castillo, Daisley5:15
3."Crazy Babies"Osbourne, Wylde, Castillo, Daisley4:15
4."Breaking All the Rules"Osbourne, Daisley, Wylde, Sinclair, Castillo5:15
5."Bloodbath in Paradise"Osbourne, Wylde, Sinclair, Castillo, Daisley5:03
6."Fire in the Sky"Osbourne, Wylde, Sinclair, Castillo, Daisley6:24
7."Tattooed Dancer"Osbourne, Wylde, Daisley3:53
8."Demon Alcohol"Osbourne, Wylde, Castillo, Daisley4:30
9."Hero"Osbourne, Daisley, Wylde, Sinclair, Castillo4:49
2002 Reissue Bonus Tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."The Liar" (originally on 1988 Japanese release only)Osbourne, Sinclair, Daisley4:32
11."Miracle Man" (recorded live at the Tower Theatre, Upper Darby Township, PA, 4 June 1989) 3:48
Total length:51:28

Personnel edit

Production edit

  • Produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Keith Olsen, except "Miracle Man" and "Devil's Daughter", which were produced by Keith Olsen
  • Recorded and engineered by Roy Thomas Baker, Gordon Fordyce and Gerry Napier
  • Mixed by Keith Olsen
  • 2002 reissue produced by Bruce Dickinson
  • 2002 remastering by Chris Athens

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[18] Platinum 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[5] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 610. ISBN 9780862415419.
  2. ^ Huey, Steve. "Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  3. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
  4. ^ Guterman, Jimmy (1 December 1988). "Ozzy Osbourne: No Rest For The Wicked : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "American album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest for the Wicked". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  6. ^ "No Rest for the Wicked Billboard Albums". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Zakk Wylde Interview". Music Legends. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  8. ^ "Order In The Court! 100 Celebrity Scandals That Rocked The Pop Culture Universe: #69 Jimmy Swaggart Caught With Prostitute". VH1. 9 April 2015. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest for the Wicked" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  11. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  12. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest for the Wicked". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest for the Wicked". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest for the Wicked". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Ozzy Osbourne Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest for the Wicked". Music Canada.

External links edit

  • No Rest for the Wicked at Discogs (list of releases)
  • Official Ozzy Osbourne website