Ozzy Releases Email Statement Over Lawsuit

Rolling Stone reports that Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has released a statement commenting on the lawsuit brought on by a former bandmate during Ozzy’s solo career, bassist Bob Daisley. Daisley is suing Osbourne, and his record label Blizzard Music Limited, for fraud, and is seeking over $2 million dollars in unpaid royalties. Daisley has tried to sue the rock icon many times with mixed success.

Ozzy Osbourne

Osbourne’s statement:

For the past 36 years Mr. Daisley has been receiving bi-annual royalty statements and checks from Blizzard Music, totaling in the millions of dollars, which have been routinely cashed. Mr. Daisley has audited Blizzard Music accounts over the years using several different auditing firms who found no discrepancies. He has previously filed lawsuits in the UK and the US and has lost on each occasion.  
 
We understand that Mr. Daisley is now in retirement and that these funds are his main source of income, so it is his right to be diligent with his money, but after 36 years, this is tantamount to harassment. We would have hoped that after 36 years that Mr. Daisley would have lost his unhealthy personal obsession and resentment towards Mr. Osbourne’s success. Blizzard Music and Mr. Osbourne plan to vigorously defend these proceedings.

Daisley has been receiving royalty payments throughout the years from the label, but claims that a recent audit showed that Blizzard Music has been withholding the full amount owed to him under publishing agreements.

Some of the allegations that Daisley’s suit claims include:  He was told the U.S wing of Blizzard Music, is an “independent subpublisher,” and therefore entitled to separate payments for its services. Daisley claims he never approved nor was aware of any such agreement. The agreement paid Blizzard U.S., more than 10 per cent what Blizzard UK was receiving. The suit also claims that Daisley was shortchanged when it came to the numerous “commercial exploitations,” of songs he helped write on Osbourne’s first two studio albums Blizzard Of Ozz, and Diary Of A Madman. The lawsuit also claims that Osbourne and Blizzard Music intended to defraud Daisley of income by hiding behind sham corporate entities. Daisley is seeking monetary damages, punitive damages, and full accounting of Osbourne and Blizzard’s books.

Daisley and former drummer Lee Kerslake sued Osbourne over royalties and album credit for their work on Osbourne’s second studio album Diary Of A Madman. In the late nineties, the pair tried to sue Osbourne again, this time having their case dismissed in 2002. Despite the legal trouble between the two, Daisley appeared, or was a contributor on every Osbourne solo album up to 1991’s sixth studio album No More Tears.

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