Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
Moderators: Randy Perry, The Flying Dutchman, Stiltzkin, skezza, Trigger
Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
I don't know if this has ever been discussed, but I was thinking about how quickly the two albums were written. And in different interviews, I've heard that because there was enough material left over after the "Blizzard" sessions, that they already had the basis for what became "Diary." Does anyone have any ideas on in what order the songs were written? For example, I've heard "Goodbye to Romance" was one of the first songs put together. But I suspect that "SATO", even though it's on "Diary", may have been written during the "Blizzard" sessions because it's in standard tuning (as is "Blizzard") while the rest of "Diary" was 1/2 step. Does anyone else have any ideas/theories?
- RR-ElectricAngel
- Mass Poster
- Posts: 999
- Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:32 am
- Location: San Antonio, Texas
- Contact:
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
I am curious about this as well. Though it may not be the case, DOAM always seemed to me like it was the last song written, recorded and put on record. Who knows this bit of trivia??
To be a teacher you must never stop learning yourself...
- GUITARIDOL5682
- Mass Poster
- Posts: 4761
- Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:42 pm
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
Bob Daisley would be able to answer this query. I'm sure he'll have the info in his book WHEN it comes out. If you visit Bob's website or Facebook you can always put the question to him.
- AndrewT1976
- Madman
- Posts: 362
- Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:42 pm
- Location: Chico, California
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
Wow. Great question. I'd love to know the same thing. Yeah, what was the order of tunes written after Blizzard, and how did they jam/demo them.
The fact that SATO is in standard tuning makes me think it was definitely part of the Blizzard sessions.
The fact that SATO is in standard tuning makes me think it was definitely part of the Blizzard sessions.
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
RR-ElectricAngel wrote:I am curious about this as well. Though it may not be the case, DOAM always seemed to me like it was the last song written, recorded and put on record. Who knows this bit of trivia??
The first songs written were 'Goodbye to Romance', 'You Looking at Me (Looking at You)', 'Crazy Train' and 'I Don't Know'. There was no material left over after the first album, the two albums were written and recorded about a year apart. All the songs for 'Diary' were written together. 'Diary' was one of the last songs written and it was recorded towards the end at Ridge Farm, the strings and choir were recorded at a separate studio in London.
I asked....

"Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away." - Elvis Presley
- axeman_12656
- Mass Poster
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:32 am
- Location: Pikeville, KY
- Contact:
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
Looking at it as those were the first songs written you realize that as the songwritting went forward the songs got heavier and heavier. Aside from No Bone Movies which I think was the last song written for Blizzard. Those ealier Ozzy songs were more radio rock Quiet Riot sounding. Then they progressed forward and ended with Metal classics like Over the Mountain and Diary Of A Madman.Sky wrote:RR-ElectricAngel wrote:I am curious about this as well. Though it may not be the case, DOAM always seemed to me like it was the last song written, recorded and put on record. Who knows this bit of trivia??
The first songs written were 'Goodbye to Romance', 'You Looking at Me (Looking at You)', 'Crazy Train' and 'I Don't Know'. I asked....
Live Life Stronger Than Death
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
I'm pretty certain I've read it somewhere the albums were written and recorded a year apart.
Blizzard written November '79 - Feb '80, recorded March/April '80.
Diary written November '80 - Feb '81, recorded Feb/March '81.
Blizzard of Ozz finished their UK Tour end of October '80 and after couple of weeks off went into writing the new album. By April '81 Ozzy was in Sounds magazine with a photo of the new line-up with Tommy and Rudy, so all the recording must have been done by then.
On a different note, did anyone see Later with Jools Holland the other night. I enjoy this programme as you get such a vast different selection of new music of all genres. Anyway Mastodon were on playing, and the camera does a close-up on the drums and, fuck me, there a huge photo of Randy giving it big licks, nice one.
Blizzard written November '79 - Feb '80, recorded March/April '80.
Diary written November '80 - Feb '81, recorded Feb/March '81.
Blizzard of Ozz finished their UK Tour end of October '80 and after couple of weeks off went into writing the new album. By April '81 Ozzy was in Sounds magazine with a photo of the new line-up with Tommy and Rudy, so all the recording must have been done by then.
On a different note, did anyone see Later with Jools Holland the other night. I enjoy this programme as you get such a vast different selection of new music of all genres. Anyway Mastodon were on playing, and the camera does a close-up on the drums and, fuck me, there a huge photo of Randy giving it big licks, nice one.
You can't kill Rock 'n Roll
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
Fozzy41 wrote: On a different note, did anyone see Later with Jools Holland the other night. I enjoy this programme as you get such a vast different selection of new music of all genres. Anyway Mastodon were on playing, and the camera does a close-up on the drums and, fuck me, there a huge photo of Randy giving it big licks, nice one.
Jup, I saw it too. There are some articles about the drum and it has been mentioned before on the forum.

Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
Yep, Brann Dailor was born March 19th, 1975 and he's a HUGE Randy fan. Check out his drumkit a little closer, and you'll see it not only has Randy's image on the kick head, but it's also painted just like the PDV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzhNODrmjaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzhNODrmjaU
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
As for tunings (E vs. Eb), Randy used 2 different set up's live, one in E and the other in Eb. Randy and Ozzy talked about most guitar songs being in E, A or B. So, Randy set out to write Blizzard - IDK - A Dorian riff/solo Gm, CT in F#m (A's relative minor), GTR in D major, Dee in D, SS in Am, Mr.C in Dm, NBM in A in a mix of scales majorish, RME in Em/E harmonic minor, and SATN in E Dorian? Somebody help me, my memory and slight musical education fades. Diary opens with OTM in G#m. FHA is in the A/F#m key. YKKRnR in B major, Believer is Em. Little Dolls is in Bm, Tonight is in E major, S.A.T.O. is in E Dorian and Diary is a perverted Am-ish agonizing riff. If that doesn't make you want to bark at the moon...
Re: Blizzard/Diary Song Chronology
Yeah cool, never noticed the polka-dot drum kit first time I watched this, great.Efrum wrote:Yep, Brann Dailor was born March 19th, 1975 and he's a HUGE Randy fan. Check out his drumkit a little closer, and you'll see it not only has Randy's image on the kick head, but it's also painted just like the PDV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzhNODrmjaU
You can't kill Rock 'n Roll