Bob is a titan in the world of rock bass. He anchored Ozzy Osbourne’s hit records and played with Widowmaker, Rainbow, Uriah Heep, G. Moore, Y. Malmsteen, Bill Ward, Mothers Army and more.
Bob Daisley is truly one of the titans of rock bass. His lengthy and impressive career reads like a who’s who of hard rock, and includes such names as Widowmaker, Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne, Uriah Heep, Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Bill Ward, Mother’s Army, Hoochie Coochie Men and Living Loud. He’s best known for his playing on Ozzy Osbourne’s hit records Blizzard of Oz, Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, Ultimate Sin and No More Tears.
Bob Daisley hails from Sydney, Australia, where he picked up the bass in 1964 at the age of fourteen. At twenty, he headed to London. His early bands included Chicken Shack, Mungo Jerry and Widowmaker. In 1977, Richie Blackmore invited Bob to join Rainbow, which at the time also included drummer Cozy Powell and vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Together they recorded the classic “Long Live Rock N Roll” album. In late 1979, Bob met Ozzy Osbourne, and they began a long and sometimes tumultuous relationship which nonetheless produced some of the most revered hard rock music ever recorded. Along with the legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads, Lee Kerslake (Uriah Heep) and Don Airey (Deep Purple), Bob played on Blizzard of Ozz (featuring the classics “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley”) and Diary of a Madman (including the hit “Flying High Again”).
Bob was fired from Ozzy’s band and joined Uriah Heep in 1981, and recorded on the album Abominog. In 1983 he rejoined Ozzy’s band and kicked it off at the US Festival, and then coproduced and played on “Bark at the Moon” and The Ultimate Sin.
In the late 80s, Bob toured and recorded with Gary Moore, recorded on Black Sabbath’s 1987 album Eternal Idol, Ozzy’s No Rest For the Wicked (1988) and Yngwie Malmsteen’s Odyssey (which included the top-20 single “Heaven Tonight”) and Bill Ward’s first solo album, Ward One: Along the Way. In 1991, Bob rejoined Ozzy for No More Tears which easily hit the top 10. In 1992, played on the debut solo album of guitarist Jeff Watson (Night Ranger). The following year, the two formed a supergroup called Mother’s Army, which also included drummer Carmine Appice and vocalist Joe Lynn Tuner. The mid 90s saw collaborations with the band Takara, contributions to the Jimi Hendrix tribute album In From The Storm, another Mother’s Army record, and the band Stream.
Bob moved back to Australia in the late 90s and joined the Hoochie Coochie Men, a blues-rock band, and recorded a live CD and DVD with Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord and Australian Jimmy Barnes. In 2003 he formed Living Loud with Barnes, Steve Morse, Lee Kerslake and Don Airey.
Bob is currently juggling several projects including the Hoochie Coochie Men and Living Loud.
Asked what he loves about his Markbass rig, Bob replies: “Portability and lightness–in weight–even though it sounds like it weighs a ton.” Bob’s amp of choice is the TA503. “The tube preamp gives it a warm, growly valve-amp sound without the bulk and weight of a full valve amp. Plenty of warmth, backbone and weight in the actual sound.”
