Ozzy Osbourne | Perry Mason
Ozzy Osbourne’s “Perry Mason” - how a comeback album with Geezer Butler brought heavy rock sophistication and an improvisational riff that became a mainstream rock anthem in 1995.
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Story Behind “Perry Mason”
The Jam That Became a Comeback
Ozzy Osbourne had announced his retirement from music after 1991’s No More Tears. For four years, he stepped away from recording and touring. Then something shifted. He realized that staying home with his wife and children was actually more exhausting than being on the road. In 1995, Osbourne decided retirement wasn’t for him. He put together a new lineup and went into the studio to make what would become Ozzmosis—his seventh solo album and a genuine comeback statement.
“Perry Mason” emerged from pure spontaneity during the recording sessions. Guitarist Zakk Wylde and keyboard player John Sinclair created the instrumental. According to Wylde: “John was just jamming on it. It’s like, ‘John, what’s that, man, that’s cool?’ So, I started playing along with him. We started with that and then and said, ‘Let’s do something like that.’ And then we did the climb up and then I took on doing the climb and then I had that riff. Then Ozzy was like, ‘Oh, cool, man, let me sing something on that,’ and then Oz just started singing.”
What makes this significant is that nobody planned the song explicitly. When Wylde shared the music with Osbourne, Osbourne made up the lyrics on the spot. The song wasn’t conceived as a single or a statement. It was creativity captured in the moment—the kind of organic collaboration that defined how great rock songs sometimes happen.
The Album That Could Have Been Different
Behind “Perry Mason” lies a complicated production story. Prior to Michael Beinhorn’s involvement, Ozzmosis was to be produced by Michael Wagener. Songs were recorded with Wagener, and a different lineup including bassist Mike Inez and drummer Randy Castillo, with the intention of making the album sound similar to No More Tears. However, with seven songs completed, Epic Records allegedly requested a change in production style and replaced Wagener with Beinhorn.
Of Wagener’s produced material, “Perry Mason”, “See You on the Other Side”, “Tomorrow” and “Old LA Tonight” were rerecorded with Beinhorn. This meant “Perry Mason” essentially had two lives—one as a demo with a different band, and another as the final version that would become a hit. The differences between the two versions are substantial, with the final Beinhorn-produced version featuring the lineup that would define Ozzmosis.
“Perry Mason” Recording and Production Details
The Comeback Lineup and Classical Bridge
The final album featured long-time guitarist Zakk Wylde as well as former Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Deen Castronovo. Producer Michael Beinhorn played most of the keyboards on the album, while Rick Wakeman played the Mellotron on the songs “Perry Mason” and “I Just Want You”.
This was a powerhouse combination. Bringing Geezer Butler back into Ozzy’s world created something the producer version with Mike Inez couldn’t achieve—the weight and sophistication of a genuinely classic rock band. Butler’s bass playing on “Perry Mason” grounds the song with the kind of heavy presence only comes from decades of playing in one of rock’s most iconic bands. The contrast between Wakeman’s orchestral Mellotron and Wylde’s heavy riffing creates the song’s central tension: this is both a metal anthem and something more sophisticated.
Michael Beinhorn’s Demanding Studio Approach
Recording took place at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, France, Right Track Recording and Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York. Production was led by Michael Beinhorn, with Paul Northfield engineering and David Bianco mixing.
Working with Beinhorn wasn’t always pleasant. Ozzy remarked in 2001: “After doing Ozzmosis with Michael Beinhorn producing, I didn’t care if I never made another album again. There’d be these fucking mind games. He’d have me singing all day, and then I’d get three-quarters through and he’d go, ‘Your voice sounds tired. Let’s pick it up tomorrow.’ And I knew that the next day he’d go, ‘Your voice has changed. Let’s start again.’”
Despite Osbourne’s frustration, Beinhorn’s meticulous approach produced results. “Perry Mason” emerged as a song that sounded simultaneously fresh and classic—accessible to mainstream rock radio while maintaining the heaviness that metal fans craved.
Notes About “Perry Mason” by Ozzy Osbourne
Written by: Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde, John Purdell
Released: November 1995 (single)
Duration: 5:53
Genre: Heavy Metal / Hard Rock / Mainstream Rock
Album: Ozzmosis (7th studio album, track 2)
Producer: Michael Beinhorn
Engineer: Paul Northfield
Label: Epic Records
UK Chart Performance: #23 on UK Singles Chart
US Chart Performance: #3 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart
Album Chart Position: Ozzmosis reached #22 UK, #4 US Billboard 200
Video Director: Ralph Ziman
Format: Originally recorded with different lineup (Mike Inez/Randy Castillo), then rerecorded with final Beinhorn version (Geezer Butler/Deen Castronovo)
Ozzy Osbourne “Perry Mason” Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: Ozzmosis
Release Date: 23 October 1995
Label: Epic Records
Producer: Michael Beinhorn
Recording Locations: Guillaume Tell Studios (Paris), Electric Lady Studios (New York), Right Track Recording (New York), Bearsville Studios (Woodstock)
Album Concept: Osbourne’s comeback after announcing retirement in 1991; return to studio recording with classic rock lineup
Context: First album featuring Geezer Butler since their Black Sabbath days
Chart Performance: Reached #4 on Billboard 200 (highest Osbourne position at the time), #22 UK Albums Chart
Certification: Double Platinum (RIAA), over 3 million copies sold globally
Band Members/Personnel on “Perry Mason”
Ozzy Osbourne - Lead Vocals
Zakk Wylde - Guitar, Co-writer
Geezer Butler - Bass
Deen Castronovo - Drums
Rick Wakeman - Mellotron
Michael Beinhorn - Producer, Keyboards, Mixing
Paul Northfield - Engineer
David Bianco - Mixing Engineer
Production Notes
Originally recorded during Michael Wagener production sessions (early 1994) with Mike Inez and Randy Castillo
Rerecorded under Michael Beinhorn’s direction with Butler and Castronovo lineup
First single released from Ozzmosis in November 1995
Part of “three singles released from Ozzmosis”; “See You on the Other Side” and “I Just Want You” followed as singles
Album supported by “Retirement Sucks!” tour
Osbourne’s comeback to touring after “No More Tours” tour (1992)
Mixed reviews from critics, but commercially successful
Interesting Facts About “Perry Mason”
The Song Born from Improvisation, Not Planning
The origin of “Perry Mason” remains mysterious. No one seems to know why Ozzy Osbourne had Perry Mason on his mind that particular day. Maybe he had been watching TV. The song wasn’t written as a single or a statement—it emerged from Wylde and Sinclair jamming, evolved into something Osbourne immediately connected with, and then became the album’s lead single. This spontaneity defined the Ozzmosis sessions. For a comeback album, the music felt alive and immediate rather than calculated.
The beauty of “Perry Mason” is that it sounds like a song, not like it was overthought. In an era when too much metal production was becoming overly polished and sterile, “Perry Mason” maintained an improvisational energy even after Beinhorn’s meticulous studio approach.
The Album Transformation: Two Different Versions
Epic Records originally hired producer Michael Wagener, saying “we want exactly the same record as No More Tears.” After seven songs were completely recorded and mixed with Michael Wagener, Epic came to him and told him “now we want it to sound like Soundgarden.” With seven songs completed, Epic Records allegedly requested a change in production style and replaced Wagener with Beinhorn.
This mid-production shift fundamentally altered what Ozzmosis became. The Wagener versions represented one vision—a continuation of the No More Tears era. The Beinhorn versions, including “Perry Mason,” represented something darker and more contemporary. Two of Michael Wagener’s original 7 recordings were released as single b-sides, “Aimee” and “Living With The Enemy”. One song recorded during the Michael Wagener sessions remains unreleased called “Slow Burn”.
Osbourne enthusiasts could eventually compare both versions, and the differences were substantial. The final “Perry Mason” that became a radio hit was fundamentally a different recording than what existed during the Wagener sessions.
The Video That Completed the Vision
The music video added another layer to “Perry Mason.” Directed by Ralph Ziman (who had worked with Osbourne on the No More Tears video), the visual concept featured a young girl walking through what appeared to be death row, discovering Osbourne performing the song. This wasn’t a typical rock video—it had narrative weight and darkness that complemented the song’s ambiguous subject matter.
Common Questions
Q: What is “Perry Mason” about? A: The song references Perry Mason, the fictional lawyer from the 1930s book series by Erle Stanley Gardner and the TV series that ran from 1957 to 1966. Osbourne has mentioned watching Perry Mason reruns during rehab stints. The song’s meaning remains deliberately ambiguous—some interpret it literally as about the TV lawyer, while others find different themes in the lyrics.
Q: Why is this considered Ozzy’s comeback? A: After announcing retirement following No More Tears in 1991, Osbourne spent four years away from music and touring. Ozzmosis in 1995 marked his return to the studio and touring. “Perry Mason” was the album’s lead single and helped reestablish Osbourne’s presence in mainstream rock.
Q: Who really plays bass on “Perry Mason”? A: Geezer Butler plays bass on the final released version. The song was originally recorded with Mike Inez on bass during the Michael Wagener production sessions, but was rerecorded with Geezer Butler during Michael Beinhorn’s production. This lineup change was part of the mid-production shift.
Q: How successful was “Perry Mason” commercially? A: The single reached #3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in the US and #23 on the UK Singles Chart. It was a significant mainstream rock hit and helped establish Ozzmosis as a commercially successful comeback album.
Q: What happened to the Michael Wagener versions of the songs? A: Some appeared as B-sides to later singles from the album. The Wagener version of “See You on the Other Side” was later released on Osbourne’s “Prince of Darkness” compilation, and fans could hear how differently the songs were conceived in that original production.