Faith No More’s Mike Bordin Recalls Powerful Encounter With Ozzy

Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne was in a rough place at the start of the 1990s for multiple reasons, which is why he was primed to receive positivity from anyone who’d share it. In a new interview Metal Hammer, Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin recalls doing precisely that during his encouraging and “incredible” first meeting with the genre’s one and only Prince of Darkness.

What Bordin Said to Ozzy

In the latest issue of Metal Hammer, Bordin reflects on meeting Osbourne for the first time in 1990.

You see, Faith No More had just released their breakthrough LP – 1989’s The Real Thing, which featured second single “Epic” – and as Metal Hammer writes, the band “were named by RIP Magazine as ‘Band Of The Year’ and invited to a star-studded awards ceremony in Los Angeles where they’d perform a short set.” According to Revolver, the event was held at the Hollywood Palladium on November 9, 1990 (in celebration of the magazine’s fourth anniversary).

Per setlist.fm, their performance actually consisted of 16 songs (including “Epic” with Young MC). They undoubtedly saved the best for last, however, when they got to perform Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” (from 1970’s Paranoid) with two awesome guests.

“We couldn’t believe it!” Bordin told Metal Hammer. “We got up and played with [James] Hetfield and Ozzy and it was incredible.”

You can view footage of their collaboration below:

Although playing with the Metallica frontman was surely amazing, it was the opportunity to meet and jam with Ozzy that truly took Bordin’s breath away.

Metal Hammer notes that after their show, Faith No More “went . . . to a Hollywood party filled with rock and metal icons.” Bordin was “sitting back in a corner to relax” when Ozzy came up to him and asked: “Why did you guys do ‘War Pigs’ on the album? Are you taking the piss?’”

Of course, he’s referring to Faith No More’s cover of the song on The Real Thing, and in that moment, Bordin was taken aback. “It caught me off guard,” he revealed to Metal Hammer. “It was the last thing I’d ever think for someone who’s responsible for such iconic music might say.”

Bordin added:

He’d been through some rough times and looked so sad, man. I launched into this long story about how when I was young my mom killed herself, I didn’t have much of a family… Things changed for me when I heard Sabbath. I found this music that wasn’t singing about stuff that was pleasant – it’s powerful, dark and the message is you’re not alone. So I told him, “You saved my life.” It really fucking hit him. I had to tell him what he meant though.

As Metal Hammer mentions, Ozzy and Bordin eventually “shared a bill in South America” several years later, and in 1996, Bordin “was recruited as the new drummer in Ozzy’s band . . . and toured with him frequently over the next decade, drumming on 2001’s Down To Earth and 2007’s Black Rain.” Bordin also played on 2002’s Live at Budokan and re-recordings of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, as well as 2005’s Under Cover.

READ MORE: Ozzy + The Bat – What Really Happened?

More Ozzy + Black Sabbath News

As most metal fans already know, the original Black Sabbath lineup – Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will be reuniting for the Back to the Beginning concert next Saturday, July 5, at the Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham, England.

What’s more, it’ll feature supporting performances from many standout artists, including Metallica, Pantera, Tool, Mastodon, Alice in Chains, Gojira, Halestorm and Slayer! (Sadly, Wolfgang Van Halen had to back out of the show due to his prior commitment to support Creed’s upcoming tour.)

Naturally, tickets sold out quickly, but it’s still possible to watch the livestream of the show, and you can check out the official trailer for it. Likewise, you can see Black Sabbath’s first reunion rehearsal photo (with Bill Ward!).

As for Ozzy himself, he recently revealed that although he’s not a fan of doing duets, he’d love the chance to do one with one of his biggest idols: Beatles legend Paul McCartney.

So, are you planning to watch (or even attend) Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning show? Let us know!