Ozzy Osbourne To Be Honored During Sunset Strip Music Fest

Ozzy Osbourne must have one hell of a trophy case at home. The man not only has a collection of Grammys to his credit, but he has been the recipient of numerous accolades over the years, including his 2006 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame. But he's going to have to clear some space for yet another honor this fall.

According to a press release, the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival will pay tribute this September to the self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness, for the impact he's made on the legacy of West Hollywood's Sunset Strip. The three-day outdoor festival is scheduled for September 10-12th, and a substantial portion of the Strip will be shut down to accommodate the event.

Osbourne first played the Strip in the fall of 1970, when Black Sabbath's first U.S. tour invaded the Whisky A Go-Go for a five-night stretch. There's been no word yet on who will be performing during the festival, but a lineup is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

"We are extremely excited to honor rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, and we are thrilled the City of West Hollywood once again supported the Sunset Strip Music Festival," says Todd Steadman, the Sunset Strip Music Festival's executive director. "This year's street closure will allow us to expand on the success of last year's inaugural fest and accommodate more fans and festival-goers."

Of course, this summer, the Osbournes opted to forgo their annual Ozzfest, to permit the Ozzman to finish work on his forthcoming album, which has been tentatively set for a November release. Ozzy is also contributing guest vocals to former Guns n' Roses/ current Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash's upcoming solo LP.

Last year, Slash appeared at the Strip Fest to honor Los Angeles' rock history and recalled dressing in drag to sneak into the Rainbow on ladies' night: "It was fun, until I found myself standing in the Rainbow in girls' clothing by myself. It was a novel idea at the time."

Related Stories:

• Slash Joins the Sunset Strip Festival to Honor L.A.'s Rich Rock History
• Ozzfest 2008: Metallica, Ozzy, Serj Tankian, Jonathan Davis Pummel Texas Stadium
• Jack Osbourne: "The Osbournes Discredited Who My Father Is"

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Star Trek' Is Crazy Good
• 
  TV 10 Shows to Watch This Summer
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories

“1999”

Prince | 1982

“I don’t consider myself a great poet,” Prince told Rolling Stone. “I just know I’m here to say what’s on my mind.” In the case of the apocalyptic party anthem “1999,” he was worried about then-president Ronald Reagan’s foreign policies. The song’s melody is based on a riff borrowed from the Mamas and Papas’ “Monday, Monday,” and Prince originally envisioned the first verse with three-part harmony but later split the vocals between himself and members of the Revolution. Because Warner Bros., with whom Prince was locked in a contractual battle, owned the original’s masters, Prince rerecorded the song and appropriately released that version in 1999.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter