Bob Daisley recently spoke about not receiving proper credit for his work on Ozzy Osbourne’s “Diary of a Madman” album. He expressed his frustration with the situation in an interview with Guitar World.
The bassist addressed his feelings about seeing Rudy Sarzo credited for work he claims to have done himself, along with drummer Lee Kerslake.
“Just ask me what I thought of Rudy Sarzo being credited on Diary of a Madman! That was a travesty, a true crime against [drummer] Lee Kerslake and me,” Daisley said. “I’d worked hard on that album – as I do with every album that I’ve been involved with – both with the playing/writing aspects and the production.”
Daisley explained the emotional impact of discovering the credits he felt were wrongfully assigned.
“And then, to see all my hard work get credited to someone who’d had nothing to do with any of it was heartbreaking, and the same goes for Lee [who, like Daisley, was also fired before the second album was released],” he continued. “I remember the day that Lee and I saw that album and those erroneous credits for the first time; it was like a punch in the solar plexus.”
The bassist expressed hope for eventual recognition of his contributions.
“I would love to see proper accreditation on that album before I take the long dirt nap,” he said.
Daisley maintains that he was cheated out of credits and royalties over the years for his work on the influential Ozzy Osbourne album.
This credit dispute represents just one chapter in a long-running battle between Daisley and Osbourne’s camp over recognition and compensation for his contributions to the legendary metal albums.
Full in Bloom reported that the credit controversy extends beyond just the bass playing. Production credits were also stripped from Daisley and Kerslake, with the album listing only Max Norman, Ozzy Osbourne, and Randy Rhoads as producers instead.
The legal battles over these credits have persisted for decades. Guitar World noted that Daisley filed a lawsuit in 2016 seeking $2 million in withheld royalties specifically for “Crazy Train,” though the case was later dismissed.
The credit dispute highlights the complex relationships within Osbourne’s early solo career. Inkl revealed that both Daisley and Kerslake were fired before the album’s release, yet their musical contributions remained on the final recordings.
The ongoing dispute underscores broader issues within the music industry regarding proper attribution and compensation for session musicians and collaborators who contribute significantly to landmark albums but may not receive appropriate recognition in official credits.
