Billy Morrison has released his new track, "Crack Cocaine", featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Stevens. The song is from Billy’s new solo album, The Morrison Project, out April 19 via The Label Group’s partnership with TLG|ZOID through Virgin Music Group. Watch the video for "Crack Cocaine" below.
“Crack Cocaine” marks the first new song with Ozzy on vocals since the 2022 release of his worldwide smash album Patient Number 9 which earned him two Grammy Awards (“Best Rock Album,” “Best Metal Performance”).
Billy and Ozzy spoke to Rolling Stone about the “Crack Cocaine” single and video on a call from Osbourne's L.A. home.
Morrison says the idea for the video - in which Paris Jackson plays an infatuated ex-girlfriend and actor-singer Jeff Hilliard plays an unstable, unhoused addict - came from his girlfriend. At the center of the clip, though, is a celebration of Osbourne, who sang the tune in his home’s movie theater with footage of him through the years playing behind him. In one shot, you can even see a water tower with “Ozzy” written on it.
“I wanted to present Ozzy in his best light,” Morrison says. “The truth is, everyone knows he’s gone through some hard times.” Osbourne has been off the road since 2019 after he slipped and fell in the middle of the night, injuring his spine, leading to several surgeries. He has been doing physical therapy to get back into performance shape ever since. “Everyone loves to report on how frail he looks, and that’s just not true,” Morrison says. “I know he looks powerful, and magnificent, and still as vital as we all want him to be, and that’s what I wanted to show.”
Osbourne reports that he feels “night and day” compared to just after the fall. He has been distracting himself from his health issues with painting. “It’s a hobby of mine,” he says. “I always gotta be doing something, or it drives me crazy. I’ve got a haunted head.” Although he says he has difficulty walking, he’s determined to get better. “I can’t complain,” he says. And he adds he has enjoyed working with Morrison on the song and video.
“The video was a blast to do,” Osbourne says, though he adds he didn’t pay much attention to the archival footage. “I don’t like to watch it,” he says. “I’ve never watched an episode of The Osbournes.”
In the meantime, Osbourne has been busying himself with painting and has hopes to record a new album of his own. “I’m waiting for [producer] Andrew Watt to give me a call,” he says. “He’s been working with Lady Gaga. I’m dying to make more music.” Osbourne, however, is less optimistic about when he’ll be onstage again. “I would love to, but I can’t stand up right,” he says. “Maybe I’ll do something one day. I miss it terribly.” Asked if he’d do a short set if inducted into the Rock Hall, he says, “Maybe. We’ll see.”
Read the full story at RollingStone.com.
“Crack Cocaine” is the second single/video from The Morrison Project. Find out more about the album here.
