“Sharon actually sat in on my audition – probably to see if she’d wasted plane tickets!”: Jimi Bell on his Ozzy Osbourne audition – and why he lost out to Zakk Wylde
Landing a gig with Ozzy Osbourne is a dream for any guitarist and Jimi Bell certainly came closer than most.
In a new interview with Guitar World, Bell recounts the audition that almost saw him become the Prince of Darkness’ next axe-wielder following Jake E. Lee’s exit in 1987, sharing everything from the gear he brought to the surreal dinner where Osbourne ate off his salad plate.
READ MORE: “Are you crazy? You’re a rock star”: Ozzy Osbourne’s baffled reaction when Randy Rhoads told him he was going to quit his band shortly before his death
Bell’s journey began with a call from Kramer Guitars: “I was endorsed by Kramer Guitars and Dennis Berardi, the president, had kind of taken me under his wing. One morning he called to say Jake E. Lee was out and he’d sent a video of me to Sharon. Suddenly I had an audition – but the catch was I had to fly out that same day.”
Already familiar with Ozzy’s classics like I Don’t Know, Crazy Train, Flying High Again, and Suicide Solution, Bell spent the hotel ride brushing up on his repertoire.
When it came time to play, he didn’t need much gear as the amps were already set up. “I just had to bring myself and my Boss 7-band EQ to push the amp a bit harder. I’m pretty sure it was a Marshall JCM800,” he recalls. “The energy in the room was intense but inspiring.”
Bell explains that the first round of audition was with Randy Castillo and Phil Soussan, though the moment that stuck with him the most was Sharon Osbourne sitting in on his session.
“Most of the players went through that first round. Sharon actually sat in on mine – probably to see if she’d wasted plane tickets! She liked what she saw, and I was told I did great.”
The next day brought him onstage with Ozzy himself: “Surreal doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he says. “It went exceptionally well – I was locked in with the band and stayed true to the song and the solo, but I added a little flair unique to me. Ozzy literally leaned down in front of my amp while I was playing.”
The guitarist also took a solo on his own, noting how the vibe in the room was “strong” then. “Ozzy and Sharon told me it was down to me and Zakk. I went to dinner with them at a fancy restaurant, where Ozzy ate off my salad plate with his fingers!”
“Then I went back to their house and hung out for a while, and I even met Ozzy’s oldest daughter, Aimee,” he continues. “At that point Zakk had already started working with them, and I think his similarities to Randy played a big part in the final decision.”
Though he didn’t land the gig, Bell looks back on the experience without regret.
“I don’t know if he ever saw my tape; but I know Sharon did, and that’s what got me in the room. More importantly, Ozzy saw me live, just inches from my amp. I think that moment said more than any demo ever could,” says the guitarist.
The post “Sharon actually sat in on my audition – probably to see if she’d wasted plane tickets!”: Jimi Bell on his Ozzy Osbourne audition – and why he lost out to Zakk Wylde appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
