07-23-25 - Rock Wars - Best Cover Of An Ozzy Or Black Sabbath Song

Summary

Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona: Episode Summary Episode: 07-23-25 - Rock Wars - Best Cover Of An Ozzy Or Black Sabbath Song
Release Date: July 23, 2025
Host: John Holmberg
Co-Hosts: Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo
Podcast: 98KUPD | Hubbard Radio

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Introduction to Rock Wars

In this vibrant episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness (07-23-25), host John Holmberg and his co-hosts embark on an exciting musical journey titled Rock Wars, focusing on identifying the best cover of a Black Sabbath or Ozzy Osbourne song. The segment invites listeners to engage by voting for their favorite cover, fostering a lively discussion around the enduring influence of Ozzy and Black Sabbath in the rock genre.

Exploring the Best Covers

The conversation kickstarts with an acknowledgment of Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne's profound impact on music, highlighting their extensive influence on countless artists across various genres.

John Holmberg (02:06):
"Rock Wars is here, and we decided to do the best cover of a Black Sabbath or Ozzy Osbourne song. Ozzy influenced so much of the music you hear today."

The co-hosts delve into notable covers, each bringing unique perspectives and preferences to the table:

1. Serge Tankian and Tom Morello - "Crazy Train"
   Brett (07:37):
   "I went with 'Crazy Train,' which was covered by a lot of people. This version done by Serge Tankian and Tom Morello is interesting."
   John Holmberg (08:12):
   "Serge and Morello's take on 'Crazy Train' adds a unique twist, making it stand out despite its challenging nature to cover."

2. White Zombie - "Children of the Grave"
   Dave Pratt (07:51):
   "White Zombie doing 'Children of the Grave' is fantastic and retains that zombie feel while honoring Sabbath's legacy."
   John Holmberg (08:54):
   "White Zombie's version is a great rendition that keeps the essence of the original while infusing their signature style."

3. Primus - "N.I.B."
   Dave Pratt (08:33):
   "Megadeth's 'Paranoid' was a hit, but I really love Primus doing 'N.I.B.' It's a fresh take that adds depth to the song."

4. Ugly Kid Joe - "N.I.B."
   John Holmberg (09:30):
   "Ugly Kid Joe's cover is also on the list, showcasing the song's versatility across different rock subgenres."

5. T. Pain - "War Pigs"
   Dave Pratt (10:17):
   "T. Pain's rendition of 'War Pigs' is incredible. His ability to blend rap elements with metal is mesmerizing."
   Brett (11:48):
   "T. Pain nailed that cover. It's an amazing version that honors the song while making it his own."

Listener Engagement and Feedback

The segment is enriched by enthusiastic listener participation, with numerous emails flooding in to support various covers:

John Holmberg (09:16):
"You got a lot of props on my emails just now. Hunter said the Ozzy interview was awesome."

Listener Quote:
"Rock Wars Ozzy tribute. What a show so far. Great way to honor him." (15:15)

Voting and Winner Announcement

As the discussion unfolds, the co-hosts debate the merits of each cover, ultimately leading to listener voting to determine the winner.

Brett (16:20):
"Brady's picks always make me laugh because you and Brett make fun of them, but I still laugh. I use my work and personal phone to vote for Brady."

Despite the strong contenders, White Zombie's "Children of the Grave" emerges as the favored cover among listeners and hosts alike.

John Holmberg (15:14):
"Brett chose White Zombie's 'Children of the Grave,' and I think that's a win for Brett."

Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

The episode wraps up with reflections on the chosen cover and the collective appreciation for Ozzy's enduring legacy in rock music.

John Holmberg (18:58):
"T. Pain's version is ridiculous. It's the best way to honor him. White Zombie's cover is fantastic, and both deserve recognition."

Dave Pratt (19:31):
"Azar's most powerful rock radio station continues to celebrate legends like Ozzy with engaging discussions and listener interaction."

Notable Quotes

• John Holmberg (02:06):
  "Rock Wars is here, and we decided to do the best cover of a Black Sabbath or Ozzy Osbourne song."

• Dave Pratt (08:33):
  "Megadeth's 'Paranoid' was a hit, but I really love Primus doing 'N.I.B.' It's a fresh take that adds depth to the song."

• John Holmberg (10:57):
  "T. Pain's rendition of 'War Pigs' is incredible. His ability to blend rap elements with metal is mesmerizing."

• John Holmberg (15:14):
  "Brett chose White Zombie's 'Children of the Grave,' and I think that's a win for Brett."

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Conclusion

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness showcases a passionate exploration of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath covers, highlighting the band's profound impact on the rock music landscape. Through lively discussions and active listener participation, the hosts celebrate musical tributes that honor Ozzy's legacy, culminating in White Zombie's "Children of the Grave" emerging as the standout cover. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to Ozzy's music, this episode offers a comprehensive and engaging dive into the enduring influence of one of rock's greatest icons.

Transcript

[Dave Pratt]

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[John Holmberg]

It's John Holmer here seeing clear as a bell, thanks to my friends at the Schwartz Laser Eye Center. The amount of times I've had people tell me that they hate that they can't see right anymore is ridiculous. And in the year 2025, it's essentially like complaining about how long it takes you to ride your horse to the mercantile. We have advanced to a time where your sight can be corrected. Everyone has a different situation. And that's where Dr. Jay Schwartz and his team and their expertise comes into play. Get those eyes fix now. Give them a Visit online schwarz laser.com or call them 480483 Eyes, the official Eye center of your D backs and sons, the Schwartz Laser Eye Center.

[Dave Pratt]

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[Dick Toledo]

You thought that was funny.

[Brady]

You were laughing like a hyena when he said it. What the hell is wrong with you?

[John Holmberg]

Day after for Ozzy tribute comes through and you know, a lot of email people saying thank you for playing that awesome Aussie interview. Good stuff. Yeah. People are in the mood. Like it was weird yesterday. Everywhere I went, somebody was listening to it. In fact, it was very strange to wander into the KTAR newsroom and hear Ozzy playing in the news play. They were all listening. It was a day to listen to Ozzy. And it still goes on. We'll do it for again. I believe that you sit on it for. Whoa. Sorry. Hang on. My glasses started playing a song. I forgot I had them on. And it just started to go crazy. Yeah. So it was really odd to have that. But it was one of those things where you just kind of go out. Remember when Michael Jackson died and it was just everywhere? Yeah. And then Tom Petty everywhere. Remember when those weird deaths happened?

[Dave Pratt]

People have to say about that.

[John Holmberg]

Did Michael Jackson call him or Michael Jackson called and said, dave, I need Legal representation.

[Prince]

People are accusing me of baby rape.

[John Holmberg]

All right, buddy, we're best friends. I'll come over there. You want me to bring Bubbles?

[Prince]

Oh, yeah, Dave, I forgot. I gave you Bubbles because we're best friends. And do you have Prince?

[John Holmberg]

Hey, he's right here, buddy. Hey, Prince. And AD Wants to talk to you. Hey, Daddy. Having a good time at Uncle Dave's house?

[Prince]

Is he treating you right?

[John Holmberg]

That sounded like an echo. We're practically the same man. Hee hee hee hee.

[Prince]

You're right. Okay, Prince, just so we don't confuse ourselves anymore with our equal voice. Cause we're so related. Give the phone back to Uncle Dave.

[Dave Pratt]

Everybody.

[John Holmberg]

I thought it was Michael at the door for a while. Like, who is it? Remember? Let's recreate that. Hey, Prince. Caught that. Very negative. Hey, somebody's at my door. What a hood is. Who is it? Hee hee. It's me, Michael Jackson. It's his son, Prince. Indecipherable voices. I don't believe you. I think it's Michael. Mj, King of Pop. Hee heap. We're best friends. Come on in. I'm having a delusion. Yahoo. It's really Prance. What a great laugh we had there, Uncle Dave.

[Brett]

Good buddy.

[John Holmberg]

We had great buddies, Brady. In fact, Michael called me up the day before he died and said, you got any of that propofol stuff? And I said, no, but I can hook up with the guy. We're best friends. When he was a town, he stayed in my guest house.

[Brett]

You stayed at Neverland?

[John Holmberg]

I always was at Neverland. I woke up dizzy. But happy Friday. I'm Dave Pratt. Reprehensible liar. Anyway, sorry. I digress. Sorry, everyone. I got off on my Michael Jackson, Dave and Prince story, which is so true and equally as feasible as something Dave would say. So Rock wars is here, and we decided to do. I won last week. So my topic. And I think everybody's already kind of gone in, so we'll get it in a second. The topic this week, and we'd love to hear from you guys on this one. Best cover of a Black Sabbath or Ozzy song, aside from Pantera's Planet Caravan. Yeah, Pantera is automatically a hole in the sky too. Yeah, whatever. They've covered Pantera. Metallica can't have done this because they're banned from Rock Wars. Just on name Slayer as well. I don't know if Slayer covered any Black Sabbath, but Slayer fans would know. Yeah, they were in Japan once. I'm like, all right, doesn't count. So a best cover of a Black Sabbath or Ozzy song by another band because they Ozzy influenced so much of the music you hear. And almost everybody who's ever picked up a guitar or sang a rock song or listened to this stuff has been inspired by Black Sabbath and whatever else. So best cover of a Black Sabbath or Ozzy song. You guys can help us out. [e-mail] you can text 97936. You can even phone us if you feel like 585 9, 800. We'll get to that in just seconds. Rock Wars Coming up next, Morning sickness.

[Guest Comedian]

All right, HMS Podcast, time again to let you know where to go for some great comedy in the valley this week. Eastsiders. The Tempe Improv has two very funny guys in Mike Vecchione and comedian C. Downtown at Stand Up Live, you've got the always entertaining John Dela Cruz, AKA Nurse John. And up north at Desert Ridge features comedy vet and friend of the show, Steve Byrne. For the complete lineups and for tickets, go to standuplive.com desertridgeimprov.com and tempeimprov.com Holmberg's Morning Sickness.

[John Holmberg]

My mouse battery died right in the middle of that. I can't be real.

[Dave Pratt]

Ah, we're almost done anyway.

[John Holmberg]

I know, Larry. Deal with it, Larry. Deal with this crap. Oh, there it goes. That little arrow just stopped doing temporarily. All right, well, that's no good. That's how I control everything. And we're doomed. I don't know what to look, I've got no backup plan here other than a podcast. I mean, I'll run on these people like, you have no idea how fast. Anyway, so it's 9:37. It's time for Rock wars, and we got ourselves a good one today. It is the best cover of either a Black Sabbath or an Ozzy Osbourne song. You guys are firing off loads of good ones. No, it's good it came back, Larry. Thank you. Though you might want to leave those nearby. He brought me batteries like a good husband, man. Yeah, there's tons of them. And the more you're bringing up, the more I'm like, oh, forgot about that. Forgot about that. Suicidal tendencies. Do one. Did they do suicide solution? No, somebody did and thought it was suicidal. That's why I just looked at you and I'm like, I bet. Heck. And then it.

[Dave Pratt]

No, that's not it.

[John Holmberg]

I can't remember. Anyway, this. This laundry list is a what you guys are putting together for me on my emails as suggestions. I'm like, Jesus. I'm putting this together as a playlist too. Good. But let's go to it and see what we've got for our best cover tribute as we pay tribute to Ozzy in the 24 hours since his passing of a tribute song. A cover of Sabbath or Ozzy and Brady, I'll start with you. Go ahead. All right. Oh no, Brett, I'll start.

[Larry]

There it is.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, you got it. Brady, I'll start with you.

[Brett]

Okay, first of all, I didn't realize how many people covered Black Sabbath and Aussie songs, but I went with Crazy Train which was covered by a lot of people. This is a version done by Serge Tankian and Tom Morello.

[John Holmberg]

I don't think so. I don't think I've hear and forget.

[Dave Pratt]

Our hands Surge version.

[John Holmberg]

This is a tough one to cover cuz it's so Aussie. Yeah. Even a familiar voice like Serge, this Morello can't imagine he's got to go crazy on the guitar. Interesting one. I like that. Interesting. All right. Surgeon Tom doing Crazy Train.

[Dave Pratt]

Bert, like you said, there was so many of them out there and a lot of people were hitting up Megadeth's Paranoid. I really love Primus doing Nib.

[John Holmberg]

Great stuff.

[Dave Pratt]

Love it.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah.

[Dave Pratt]

But to me, the one that got me and there wouldn't be this band or this guy obviously without Black Sabbath White Zombie doing Children of the Grave.

[John Holmberg]

Okay, like that. This is a really good one. Yeah. All right. I actually forgot about. And he kept it zombie. Yup.

[Dave Pratt]

You know it's Sabbath but that Zombie feel is there.

[John Holmberg]

By the way, Brett, you got a lot of props on my emails just now. Hunter just said, man, that interview with Ozzy was so solid. Thanks for playing that. Couldn't believe how much Brett sounded like a pre pubescent Irish drunk.

[Dave Pratt]

I'll do a shot Jameson tonight for you.

[John Holmberg]

That's a good one there, Bret. And let's also not forget that today is technically the fifth anniversary of Brett. Five years of Burt. Five years of not so veiled racism right here on the show.

[Dave Pratt]

Bigotry.

[John Holmberg]

Wow. You're right. It's not racism because you're not against anything. It's just five years of giggling at adjacent racism wasn't racist. But Brett was close and the guy talking was almost and like ah, that's hilarious. It rhymes with it. I had seven or eight of them. I want to initially one of the ones that pops to mind and it came to mind immediately was one I don't want to admit is awesome and highly recommended. Find it ugly Kid Joe did Niv.

[Larry]

Both of your songs are on the Nativity and black tribute. Black Sabbath.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah, the Niv. The tribute one. And ugly Kid Joe is on that. The one I actually went to. Did you get my real one? Yep. The new one that I've sent was one that happened a couple years ago. I don't remember exactly when, but this proves the influence and not just rock.

[Larry]

Two years ago.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. After two or three years would have been. My guess is when T Pain covered. Damn it. I'm blank. War pigs.

[Dave Pratt]

Yeah.

[Larry]

I think it was a tiny studio thing.

[John Holmberg]

It is unreal. T Pain of rap puts this thing together and I was mesmerized. I love this.

[Dave Pratt]

You have the T Pain voice too.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. So cool. By the way, you got bass in your car. This is built for death. Construction on the fields the bodies burning as the war machine keeps turning I want to hear all of them.

[Dave Pratt]

I don't think there's a loser this week.

[John Holmberg]

Actually, Brady's is the worst one. But I still think, damn. All right. That got me a while ago and I absolutely loved it. So then we have to choose now. And I think that's.

[Brett]

And was that T Pain singing?

[John Holmberg]

Yeah.

[Brett]

It's amazing.

[John Holmberg]

It's incredible. And he, you know, he's got that thing going with the. The T Pain Mike and the. But when I. I remember. And the video part was cooler than anything I remember seeing that. And so the reason I picked that is basically because he wasn't just influential to metal. Like, dude, like T Pain rolls in and says, I can make this a huge smash and do it my own way. It's so cool. Such a cool version. They're all good, though. All right, you can vote now. [e-mail] text 97936. You can call us. The phone number, of course, is 585-9800. The tribute to Ozzy continues with the best cover on Rock Wars. You guys vote. We'll find out what you like the most. It's 98.

[Dick Toledo]

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[Brady]

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[John Holmberg]

Homburg's morning sickness. Come on, man. Oh, this stupid thing. Why won't this net. Now that. Okay, I got it.

[Larry]

Realize how much a mouse controls.

[John Holmberg]

I gotta be over here. Do it again. Jesus Christ. Now it's double blipping on things. I double blipped on.

[Dave Pratt]

Does the podcast do that?

[John Holmberg]

No.

[Dave Pratt]

Okay, just curious.

[John Holmberg]

You know what? You just stop. Stop and reset Over. By the way, Rock wars is brought to you by our friends at Mo Money Pond, 12th street and Indian School. If you want to get on over there and I steal my Steeler stuff, it's going to be for sale in a week or so, but I'm going to steal it way before I got to get down there.

[Dave Pratt]

Byron's waiting on you.

[John Holmberg]

I know. Got a bunch of that memorabilia, they got that. They got TVs, electronics, got that jewelry, got that guns, they got that tools, everything. Think of it, they can do it. Yard equipment, everything. Mo Money pawn stunning bikes. Oh, my God. And they take care of it. And they're legit, by the way. They're the ones who make sure that what they're doing isn't like all the others. They are a legit shop that makes sure they go due diligence all the way across the board. A bunch of great people over there as well. So thank you to Mo Money Pond, 12th street and Indian School for helping us out with Rock Wars. Today's Rock Wars, a tribute to Ozzy. The best cover of a Black Sabbath or Ozzy song. People like the topic quite a bit. Brett chose White Zombies cover of Children of the Grave. Children of the Grave. I chose T. Pain's War Pigs. And Brady chose his song, which was Surge. And Tom Morello doing what was It Brady. Yeah. Which one was it? I forgot.

[Brett]

Crazy.

[John Holmberg]

Crazy train. That's right. That's right. And you said you had some second thoughts after hearing it for the first time when we played the clip.

[Brett]

The first one I picked for sure.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. Yeah, you had. Yeah, you had two of them and then you announced it. But you're fine right now. The emails, Brett is winning or has won 10 to 6 to 1 over me. And then Brady people are losing. A great choice. Everybody liked everything I heard a little over the years. Probably not all of it. Oh, wait, I'm reading the wrong one. Sorry, I'm reading wrong email says, my vote is for you, John, because I want to hear the rest of that version. Was Brady at seven brothers while everyone else at HMS was searching for cover band songs. Because it sounds like you could just pull that out of his ass. I did. It says rock Wars Ozzy tribute. What a show so far. Great way to honor him. Honestly, I'd say both Zombie and T Pain win. The only thing I'm sure of is that Brady didn't. Thanks for playing. Maybe just get back to planning an impromptu lunch of six different meals. People are on you about this. Seven, seven, seven, seven brothers. Each one of them made you right. And then you had to pick. You had to rank the brothers. And one of the reasons he went and he wanted Kirby to go with him is because when he saw it was seven brothers, he said, kirby, we'll.

[Prince]

Go there, you'll meet the brothers and then you can take one to show and tell.

[John Holmberg]

And then he was wildly disappointed we found out the brothers weren't as advertised. So, you know, Brady's picks always make me laugh because you and Brett make fun of them, but I still laugh. I use my work and personal phone to vote for Brady. Also followed step by step instructions through the work phone to all the contacts. They got 50 people coming in. I don't know how many people actually follow, but I know 15 of them are doing it. I vote for Brady because it's funny. He's got a whole army of people banging in for you there.

[Dave Pratt]

It's the seven brothers.

[John Holmberg]

They're all voting. Well, you know what? When you treat a company right with what's called the cup plugola. Wildly illegal. Every time I hear a system of a down, I'm always reminded of sometime years back when Brady didn't realize system of a down and so AD were the same band. And then he said he wasn't a fan. That means Brady is pandering. So I go to you, John, T. Pain nailed that. That is an amazing cover. This one says Dear John, Rockwar Chancellor for the win. I forgot about the T. Pain one. I was the one who earlier suggested Faith no More's version, but T. Pain's was better. War Pigs has always been my favorite Sabbath Ozzy song. Great songs all around by all of you, even Brady, but your triumph or you triumph overall. And this one says, throw my hat into the ring. Chancellor astounded. T. Pain covered that as well as he did, and I cannot wait to hear it on the radio. You're a champ. I want to add that one to mine. That's a new one. I'm still not going to catch Brad. That's pretty good. All right. What do you got over there on your thingy?

[Larry]

You've doubled up Brett on the text.

[John Holmberg]

Oh, it's that. That. All right, so we're gonna need a final call. I didn't take any phones. We're gonna need a final call. So start ringing it up. Five eight, five nine, eight hundred. John Gordon's not here, so we go one through three. Brady, pick a number. One through three. One number one email will be the emails. And that, my friends, is a win for Brett. But who's complaining?

[Dave Pratt]

No, we could play them all.

[John Holmberg]

I don't care. I would love that. Yeah, but I like that. Let's do it now. You got it. Is it ready?

[Larry]

We have our last set.

[John Holmberg]

No, no, we're done.

[Larry]

We're good.

[John Holmberg]

Okay. Already. Let's do that right now, and then we'll come out of that, do a little entertainment drill. Yeah, if you want to do that, though. Every song there is worth throwing out there today. That T. Pain version is ridiculous. You're right. Probably the one that you're like. Okay. If you're going to cover an Aussie song and make it all your own. Zombie did that.

[Dave Pratt]

Yeah.

[John Holmberg]

In a huge way. It's fantastic. Let's just see what. What people would have voted for and maybe we'll change the answer. Hi, there. Who's this? Hey, this is Anthony. Hi, Anthony. You ready to go? Who's winning? Johnny, it's you, man. That was a great version. I think a lot of people want to hear it. I agree with him. I think that's. I think maybe.

[Dave Pratt]

No, no, no, no. Let's play.

[John Holmberg]

The whole thing was rigged, Brett. I think. All right, we'll play them both. Let's play them both. One of them's like eight minutes, though, isn't it?

[Larry]

Oh, they're both together. They're like 13 and a half minutes.

[John Holmberg]

A lot of minutes. All right, let's. Okay, I got some idea.

[Larry]

You know where we could do this.

[John Holmberg]

Yeah. It's only Larry on a podcast because it wouldn't have to end.

[Dave Pratt]

And the mouse battery wouldn't die at all.

[John Holmberg]

Stupid contractual obligations. Arizona's most powerful, powerful rock radio station.

[Brady]

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