Ozzy Osbourne bassist tells FBPO the whole story of how he went from used clothes salesman to top of the heavy metal world. Hear the whole conversation!

Exclusive interview with FBPO’s Jon Liebman
January 23, 2012

Blasko is heavy metal, through and through.  In the early days, as a struggling musician trying survive by bartending and selling used clothing, Blasko’s life changed when he got the call to be the bass player for Rob Zombie’s band, opening the door to music-making in the big leagues.  Since 2003, Blasko has been the bassist in Ozzy Osbourne’s band, touring the world and enjoying the heavy metal life.

You can listen to the entire interview, below. Here are a few excerpts:

On discovering heavy metal

B: That’s what I’ve always liked.  From the first moment I made my parents by me a KISS record, there was no looking back after that.  I graduated into things like AC/DC and Led Zeppelin and all the classic stuff, but when Metallica and Slayer came out, that was it!  That was like, “This is what I’m doing for the rest of my life.”

FBPO’s Jon Liebman with Blasko at Bass Player Live!, October 2011

On the Rob Zombie gig

B: I was working two jobs, doing double duty, and just surviving.  Then I got the call to join (Rob Zombie’s band) and that changed my life considerably.  I was in his band for eight years and I learned a lot about the business and it was a really great period.  We did some really cool stuff.  It was a remarkable time that I’m definitely very gracious of having the opportunity to do that.  It was the catalyst to do everything that I’m doing now, whether it’s playing in Ozzy’s band or managing bands or just all of the things that I’m doing.  That was the big part of the process. If it wasn’t for that gig, it’s hard to say what I’d be doing now.  I’d probably still be bartending and selling used clothes!

On auditioning for Ozzy Osbourne’s band

B: It was super chill.  I suppose that the only intimidating factor at the time was they were still filming the Osbourne TV show.  So it was like, “Sharon’s coming down today, she wants to check you out.  Oh and by the way, there’s a film crew with her.”  So I’m in a room with Zakk Wylde and Mike Bordin and Ozzy Osbourne, which is already intimidating enough. And then here comes Sharon, and that adds a whole ‘nother level of intimidation factor.  And then you’re being filmed for the TV show, and as you’re playing, there’s two guys with hand-held cameras surrounding you, then pushing you off into a corner with little interviews.  It was pretty crazy, but hey, I guess I embraced the challenge because I got the gig.

On interviewing Lemmy

B: I was at Bass Player Live! and I ran into (editor) Brian Fox from Bass Player magazine and I go, “I think you should put some cool people on the cover of your magazine because, really,  I’m a bass player and I don’t read your magazine because I think it sucks!”  I said “I’d like to see some real rock & roll icons in the magazine.”  He said, “Well, I’ll call your bluff and if you interview Lemmy, I’ll put him on the cover.”  I said, “Okay.  Challenge accepted.”   I tracked down Lemmy, got him on the phone, interviewed him, transcribed it and sent it to Brian and he put him on the cover.