10 Hard Rock Bands That FIRED Members
4. Black Sabbath - Ozzy Osbourne
No one had heard anything like Black Sabbath's music when the band unleashed their debut in 1970. This was the sound of what would become heavy metal, with a dark guitar sound and the booming stomp of the rhythm section. Though the instrumentation was stellar, Ozzy Osbourne was the real draw to the band, with his madman persona and erratic behavior on stage.
Even though the band continued to go from strength to strength on each record, Osbourne's narcotic habits became less of a gimmick and more of a hinderance to the band's work. It got so dire while on tour that Osbourne was often left to the side of the stage, while guitarist Tony Iommi took center stage to bring the riffs.
By the end of the 70's, it was clear that the band had done all that they could do with Osbourne as a creative team. After 1978's Never Say Die, the band gave Osbourne the boot and hired powerhouse Ronnie James Dio to fill his shoes. With Osbourne left to his own devices, he picked himself up to create a stellar solo career. While Ozzy reunited with Sabbath on multiple occasions, the initial departure was anything but pleasant.