MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

Was Ozzy Osbourne about to join Van Halen? Icon reveals a conversation that would have rocked fans

Speaking on his SiriusXM radio show 'Ozzy Speaks', the rock icon remembered a phone call from the guitar legend Eddie Van Halen

Legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen passed away recently due to throat cancer prompting many of his long-time friends and admirers to share anecdotes about their interactions with the Van Halen founder member. One of these friends is the iconic Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. According to the 'Paranoid' singer, there was a point in the mid-1980s, after vocalist David Lee Roth exited Van Halen, when Eddie was asking people to join one of the world’s biggest rock bands.

Revealing more details, Ozzy said that the guirarist asked Patty Smyth (of rock band Scandal and a prolific solo artiste). Eddie also asked Journey’s Steve Perry, the singer himself recalled in his Rolling Stone tribute. Then, before finalising Sammy Hagar, Eddie also asked Ozzy to join Van Halen. Ozzy, revealing this fact on his radio show, said that Eddie, after Hagar’s stint in the band, asked him to join too. Speaking on his SiriusXM radio show 'Ozzy Speaks', the former Black Sabbath singer remembered a phone call from the guitar legend. Ozzy said, "He phoned me up one time and asked me if I wanted to sing in his band. Way after Sammy. I think he was a bit drunk. We’ve all done one of them calls at four o’clock in the morning."

The clip of Ozzy talking about the phone call was posted on Twitter by the official Sirius XM handle with the caption, "Ozzy Osbourne reflects on the remarkable life and talent of Eddie Van Halen. Listen to the full tribute on Ozzy's Boneyard."

Fans on Twitter discussed the possibility of Ozzy fronting Van Halen. One fan, giving a negative take, wrote, "I love O"zzy but I don’t think he would’ve been a good fit for Van Halen," while another wrote, "Sheesh imagine Steve Perry or Ozzy playing with Eddie Van Halen." Former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach said, "I didn't get to audition because I was told they didn't want the lead singer of Van Halen to smoke pot. Never mind that I learned how to smoke pot from the lead singer of Van Halen," while a fan wrote, "A Van Halen tribute record with all of these singers would be very interesting."

Osbourne also reflected on when Van Halen opened for Black Sabbath back in 1978 after the release of their debut album 'Van Halen'. He said, "You think you’ve seen it all. Then out of the blue, someone comes out with such a revolutionized way of playing. To watch Eddie play, it was like his hands would turn into a spider. He always made it look like it was so easy."