Another one-Black Sabbath, was it Sabbath without 'The Prince Of Darkness'?

Yes another one for all the rockers out there! I meant to post this a while ago actually..
So, was Black Sabbath ever really Black Sabbath without Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, fringed jacket clad leaping around the stage?
I honestly don't think Sabbath was ever the same after Osbourne was fired, I think they lost their edge musically, lost the darker side of true life essence to their lyrics which divided them from other bands, and most importantly they lost the link to the audience..they lost their bridge between the fans and the band.
And Sabbath never really seemed to have the suceess they had with Ozzy, the following vocals were fair and varied..and at one point it did seem as if it was 'Black Purple/Deep Sabbath' I really detest Ronnie James Dio, didn't like him vocally and thought he was far to childish whenever it come to discussing Ozzy, Ian Gillian wasn't too bad, Eric Singer was well..not my cup of tea and Glenn Hughes was probably a decent one-although they entered a terrible 'hair metal' phase with the whole 'No Stranger To Love Thing'
And i think it shows testiment to how when the original Sabbath line-up do reform, Osbourne Iommi Butler & Ward, such a big thing is made and so many people flock to see them-when they played download [think it was 05] the reception of the crowd was quite spectacular.
So what do y'all think?

Think you've just about summed it up.

Got to be with Ozzy although the heaven and hell album with Dio singing was Ok.

I think if you look back now at the success Ozzy went on to have solo compared to what Sabbath did without him - you have your answer although Ozzy did have the added bonus of Randy Rhodes for a while.

OH and I disagree here (and he's the musician ) He says Dio and I say Ozzy

Ronnie James Dio only ever made one good album and that was Holy Diver(with Dio). Sabbath were never the same without Ozzy. I am a big Glenn Hughes fan but even he could not make Sabbath sound like Sabbath. I think they regained a few fans with "The Headless Cross" album although then singer Tony Martin sounded completely different to Ozzy,but i feel that the old doom and gloom powerful riffs came back with this album.But no one has or could ever replace Ozzy as their front man imo.

Interesting posts folks, i do agree whol heartedlly! I also am a big fan of Glenn Hughes and the collaboration he and Tony Iommi did last year, Fused, was rather good I thought.
Like's been said i think Sabbath just lost the darker than dark edge and become a bit of a 'this is spinal tap' type joke.
Ozzy's solo career spanning nearly thirty years now, in itself, shows the man must have something.
Oh and, with the exception of 'The Ultimate Sin' era, Ozzy never really had to don the big hair n power ballads as the 'new age' Sabbath tended to do then, frequently.

I suppose in musical terms Dio is vocally advanced over Ozzy, but i actually think Ozzy's voice is rather powerful and has been very underrated through the years, but Dio never really had the showmanship..or the GENUINE love and appreciation for the fans, he always seemed to be rather 'i am the rockstar, you are my fans, bow before me'.

Interestingly enough while Ozzy has a solo album out at some point this year, Tony Iommmi, Geezer Butler, Ronnie Dio and Vince Appice [the heaven and hell album lineup of sabbath] are also releasing an album-not under the name of Sabbath though, apparently its just going to be 'Heaven & Hell'..heard a sample on youtube t'other day-it's err..very dio!

I love everything about Ozzy (he's really local to where I actually come from - got to support the locals ) I followed Ozzy during his Black Sabbath days, and as a solo artist I think the best solo album he did was 'The Ultimate Sin' although I have every other solo album he's done, including the ones from his Black Sabbath days I don't think they were ever really the same after he went.

Thought this was the most appropriate place to tell you that my 7 year old daughter is currently 'moshing' to her favourite song (sung by Dio) - Rainbow's 'Kill the King'

:smt102 :smt035 :smt077

The Child clearly needs to be locked in a room with Blizzard Of Ozz playing, loud.

Wine is fine but whisky's quicker............