Former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet has taken to social media to relate a previously unheard Ozzy Osbourne anecdote.
Given Ozzy’s history, fans of the Black Sabbath frontman could be forgiven for getting excited. After all, the Prince Of Darkness is the harbinger of chaos, rock’s ultimate madman. He’s spent time in prison. He’s thrown televisions through hotel windows and urinated on historic landmarks. In the animal kingdom alone, he’s bitten the heads off bats and doves, shot cats and snorted ants.
But all of this pales into significance [disclaimer: it doesn’t] when compared with Bonnet’s story, which takes place more than 40 years ago in the company of then-Rainbow keyboardist Don Airey.
“Hey all, Graham here!” exclaims Graham. “Unbelievably, in all my years as a musician, I have never had an opportunity to meet Ozzy Osbourne. Don and I were at our hotel bar with Noddy Holder when Don mentioned that Ozzy was dying to meet me. I said ‘Great! What room is he in?'”
This tale is shaping up nicely, isn’t it? Graham Bonnet! Don Airey! Noddy Holder from Slade! Ozzy! In a bar! The possibilities are endless!
Don’t get too excited.
“It turned out that Ozzy and Sharon were in a completely different hotel,” bemoans Bonnet. “And it just never happened.”
Oh.
Bonnet goes on to explain that he’s wanted to meet Ozzy ever since that fabled night in 1982 (“I think it was ‘82”), before wishing the great man a very happy 76th birthday.
“All the best to our favourite madman!” says Bonnet, concluding this wild ride.