No More Tears by Ozzy Osbourne
By Eamon O'Neill
Another day passes as the night closes in
Ozzy was the story, but there was however, more to the (at the time) former Black Sabbath front man than his overshadowing antics would suggest, and as the 1990s rolled around, something had to be done to remind everyone that Ozzy was, first and foremost, a music maker.
Osbourne too was keen to put his past and his over the top “vegas years” behind him. A massive shift in the musical landscape was coming, and whether through sheer good fortune, or the foresite of guiding light and manager Sharon Osbourne, it was time for a distinct repositioning.
It's just a sign of the times
He went to rehab, and toning down his image, removed the blonde streaks and teased hair, replacing it with a more natural look, and adding a pair of Lennon-style shades for good measure. Dressing more simply too, a much more sober (both literally, and visually) Ozzy stepped into the 1990s. But could he still cut it musically?
His first album of the new decade, ‘No More Tears’ arrived in late 1991, at a timely juncture within weeks of such iconic releases as Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten’, Metallica’s ‘Metallica’, and Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’. In a vintage year for music, Ozzy needed something special to remain relevant, and as history will recall, that’s exactly what he had.
Announced with its monumental title track, ‘No More Tears’ - the single - landed prior to the album’s release, and was darker and more mature than what had come before it. Rumbling along on former Alice in Chains man Michael Inez’s hypnotic bassline (or Bob Daisley’s, depending on your source), its operatic shifting keys allowed for Zakk Wlyde to really show what he was made of, with his detuned guitars front and centre.
So now that it's over, can we just say goodbye?
A mini-epic, Osbourne’s distinctive vocals lifted the song to a whole other level. With a theme about a serial killer, Ozzy’s performance gave weight to its lyrical content, with lines such as; “Maybe a kiss before I leave you this way / your lips are so cold, I don't know what else to say” delivered with a convincingly sinister edge.
It was the perfect launchpad for Ozzy 2.0, and the album that followed did not disappoint. Kicking off with the storming ‘Mr. Tinkertrain’, the driving ‘I Don’t Want to Change the World’ proved that the single’s immediacy was no fluke. Sounding more vibrant than he had done in aeons and with an inspired backing band, Ozzy was well and truly back with a bang.
However, Osbourne had never been about just the bombast, and the album’s other standout was the ballad ‘Mama I’m Coming Home’. Co-written by close friend and confidant Lemmy Kilmister, his sentimental side gave Ozzy his only solo Top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100. The Motörhead man also delivered the rollocking ‘Hellraiser’, which would be reconfigured as a duet between the pair for a special 30th anniversary 10” single release in 2021. He also had a hand in the aforementioned ‘I Don’t Want to Change the World’, responsible for the scathing line aimed at hypocritical preachers; “you tell me I'm a sinner I got news for you / I spoke to God this morning and he don't like you”.
Officially announced as his last ever album, ‘No More Tears’ huge success both creatively, and commercially forced a rethink, and the supporting farewell ‘No More Tours’ trek certainly wouldn’t be the end of Ozzy Osbourne.
Four years later he was back with a new album, and the ‘Retirement Sucks’ tour to support it, and as the new millennium began, found even greater fame as a reality TV star with The Osbournes. He’s been with us ever since, releasing his most recent ‘Patient Number 9’ in 2022 to critical acclaim, and even regrouping with his old sparring partner Tony Iommi for Black Sabbath’s reunion album ‘13’ in 2013.
‘Blizzard of Oz’ might be more celebrated, and Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’ will no doubt provide his epitaph, but ‘No More Tears’ remains a landmark release.
Album Details
No More Tears was released on 17th September 1991 and is available to buy on standard vinyl at Vinyl8.com
Tracklist
- Mr. Tinkertrain
- I Don't Want to Change the World"
- Mama, I'm Coming Home
- Desire
- No More Tears
- S.I.N.
- Hellraiser
- Time After Time
- Zombie Stomp
- A.V.H.
- Road to Nowhere
