JEFF HIBBARD

THE TRUE STORY OF MY DAYS WITH, OZZY OSBOURNE and three others, we were called The APPROACH, and the year was 1967, other groups I have been in include, AMBER, REDLEG, TRAPPER and others, I play lead and finger style guitar and draw and paint, and write songs and poems,"Alright mate?", I said to this mechanic who has come from another garage to collect some spare parts from us. He used to come on a regular basis for parts. He said he played in a band. He played bass guitar and there was also a lead guitar and a singer. "We practice in a cellar below this church just up the road from Witton Island."

"Oh, really" said I, "I've got a guitar. Don't play much really , but I like it though." "What guitar you got?" said he. "Oh it's a vox" said I. "Fancy joining our band? Said he "Yeah!" said I. That was it, I was in a group.

The next time I meet him is in the concrete cellar. "Alright mate ?" "Alright Jeff?" "Yeah!" "This is the lead guitarist." "Alright mate?" "Alright Jeff?" "Yeah!" "And this is the singer, Ozzy." "Alright Jeff ?" "Alright Ozzy?" They both have smart guitars; Ozzy just has a michrophone and they all play through one amplifier. A small combination guitar amp. There isn't a drummer or a P.A. system.

The lead shows me how to play bar chords. I pick them up pretty quick, and we are soon playing as one, all those soul songs, but still drummerless. I think the idea is to get a drummer when we get somewhere larger to play. This place is OK. It has a concrete floor and ceiling and square supporting columns with a wider square at the bottom which could serve as seats. The winter draws closer though and there's no heating in here. Some nights I can hardly play because my fingers are so cold. We play away as Ozzy launches into Midnight Hour, and sings for all he was worth, and worth all he was singing for. My fingers are hurting and Ozzy's breath is freezing as it leaves his mouth. Last time we practiced here, we shared our cellar with another group, probably to cut the cost.

The one guitarist works at Music Exchange at Snow Hill; he's the one who sold me this amp, and guitar I've bought. When I tried them out at the shop, I asked him if he played. He said "Oh no, I don't play." And there he is playing in a group. Bleeding liar! Why do they do that?

Anyway, we picked Ozzy up tonight in the van from his house in Lodge Road. Yeah! Our van with the name of the group, The Approach, written on both sides. Funny that, Ozzy lives in Lodge Road and we live in Witton Lodge Road. That kid lives next door but one to me, the kid who taught me my first guitar piece. And over the road lives another kid who plays the drums. I think his name is Bill Ward.

We have fun in that van. We were driving through Erdington on Saturday and the lads were shouting to the girls "Drop your lingerie!". I shouted "Drop your laundry!" "What did you say?" says Ozzy. "Drop your laundry" said I. I think I get the words mixed up sometimes! Ozzy has a funny way with words too. "Go on Ozz, make us laugh." "OK. Brass Boots, Hot pumps, Brass Boots, Hot Pumps." We all laugh. We trundle up Perry Common Road then in our van, drop me off first, then I say "OK, lads, see you at the next practice".  

Moms quite proud. She tells everyone, "Oh, our Jeff's in a group, you know." She likes to see the van with The Approach written on the sides. Ozzy's Mom always waves us off from their house. She stands on the doorstep. "Hey Mom! Did I tell you what Ozzy did the other night?" "What’s that, Jeff?" says Mom. "Oh, he got drunk at the Aston Hotel, upstairs, and fell down the stairs and nearly crashed through a stained glass window." "The kids drink too much today" says Dad. Well, he came to practice the other week with his arm in bandages. `Must have been fighting.

"Hey! Guess what? We've got a better place to play." "Where's that, Jeff?" Underwood School, in their hall, on the Lyndhurst Estate. It's quite new. If we're gonna play louder, Ozzy's gonna need a P.A. system. So me and Ozzy went up town today, to George Clays on Broad Street. I bought a Vox Conqueror, a piggy back amp, and a speaker on chrome swivel stands. Ozz bought a Vox P. A. system and microphone. 0zzy doesn't use a stand.

Along with the new place of practice, came a drummer. He left after a while and was quickly replaced. Ozzy looks smart, standing there, out front, microphone in hand, with his shiny suit on and short hair. He launches into Knock On Wood.

"Hey lads! Did I tell you about that kid? He came to our house on Saturday night." "Oh, him." "Yeah! He only wanted to borrow me new amp." "Who for?" said Ozz. "For that new group who play in Erdington." "What group?" "I think they are called The Idle Race" "Oh, them! Yeah! The singers called Jeff Lyne. Anyway, did you lend it to him?" "No" said I, "I axed Dad and he said "No, son, it's not paid for.

Here we are again practicing. The surroundings are better but this group thing is becoming more like a job. My hands aren't cold anymore and there's Mom and Dad standing in the doorway. I told them to drop by. I look across and they smile and wave, I smile back. Ozz doesn't bat an eyelid. He always looks straight ahead, microphone in hand. Gone are the days and nights at the little church where we began with one amplifier, one microphone, and three guitars. Gone are the nights outside the Curry Shop after practice, standing there under the street lamp with a carton of Chinese curry each.

We start to learn a new song tonight, it's called Purple Haze, by that coloured guy. It's a strange song-strange words, strange sounds from that guitar. Its sticks out like a sore thumb amongst all the soul songs we play. I find I can play some of the lead, the bass doesn't like it. "You're the rhythm, play rhythm" says he. People are coming into the hall to ask us to play at their weddings and parties. The bass tells them "No! We're not ready yet". I have to stand next to this guy through each and every song. We should be playing to people. That's why we do it. There's no applause. Things are changing or is it me?

I sense some rebellion in them veins again. We finish the set we have worked on for months. I take my guitar off, place it against the amp, and walk towards the toilets. The bass follows me. He stops me, looks me in the eyes and says, "The groups splitting". Ozzy follows the lead. He must be telling him. I couldn't believe it. "Don't cry" the bass says. It's alright for you I thought, you're almost out of these teenage years. I ain't too bothered about you, the drummer ain't been with us too long, the leads a lot older than me, but I'll miss the singer, he's dedicated. I'll probably never see him again, that Ozzy Osbourne.

NOTE: There was a photo taken of The Approach, someone stepped into the hall at Underwood School, pointed his camera at us, took a shot and walked back out.

Here is a description of how we would look.

If you were holding the photo in your hand then Ozzy would be nearest and facing the left hand side of the photo, behind him are the P.A. speakers which were about five foot tall, behind those are us three guitarists, the tall lead guitarist would be nearest the camera, then past him would be me, Jeff on rhythm guitar, then past me would be the bass guitarist.

Then behind us three would be the drummer, so the photo was not taken from the front but from the side of the group, I was tempted to look at the camera but I do not think Ozzy noticed the cameraman, who the cameraman was I do not know but that photo could still be around somewhere.

OZZSTORY WAS EDITED BY DAVE REEVES, AND WAS FIRST PUBLISHED BY CENTRAL LIBRARY, BIRMINGHAM, U.K.

OZZSTORY IS TAKEN FROM A LARGER STORY WHICH IS CALLED, 16 YEARS IN BRUM.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Who were you working for when you met the bass player?,
I was working at Bush Motors Garage on the Chester Road, Birmingham, UK.

How did you first get to the Church to meet them?,
I went on the number seven bus from College Rd, Perry Common.

How old were you then?,
I was sixteen, and Ozzy was eighteen.

What was Ozzy wearing when you first met him?,
A white cotton shirt with faded blue jeans, and shoes.

What do you remember about their equipment?,
The lead had a brown guitar, the bass had a blue guitar and  the amp was a blue combination model.

What was it the lead said to you about chords?,
I will show you this one chord, and you will be able to play any song you like.

Did you pay much for the hire of the church?,
I think we paid a few shillings, and also a few shillings for Underwood School.

What did you think of Approach musically?,
I thought we were good and the lead knew an awful lot about guitars, for someone of his age.

What music was the other band playing when you were rehearsing, at that church?,
Ticket To Ride, that kind of stuff.

Where did you buy your first gear from for The Approach?,
From Musical Exchange at Snow Hill in Birmingham, Mom and Dad had to sign for it, I was too young to sign.

How far did you live from Ozzy?,
About three miles away at Witton Lodge Road, Perry Common.

What make of van did you all ride around in?,
It was a bull nose Bedford which had sliding doors, at the front.

How did you and Ozzy get to George Clays, to buy new gear?,
We went on the bus, it was probably the number seven again .

How did you pay for the new gear?,
I had to have it on hire purchase, and pay weekly for it.

How did you line up as a full group, at the school?,
The bass stood to the right of me, the lead stood to the left of me, the drummer was at he back of us, and Ozzy stood to the front of us.

Are these buildings still standing and if so, where are they?,
Yes they are, the Church is a few steps from Witton Island and Underwood School is on the Lyndhurst Estate in Erdington.

Who were the Idle Race?,
It was Jeff Lynes group, who went on to create the Electric Light Orchestra, or E.L.O.

How long did The Approach, last?,
A few good months, I would say between two to three months.

How many guitars did you go through, in that group?,
I went through three guitars, and I bought the third one off the lead player, because he had bought a new one.

What make of guitar had he bought?,
He had bought a red Fender Stratocaster, these were very rare at the time, in the U.K.

Who did not buy new gear?,
The bass and the drummer did not buy new gear, the lead player kept his old amp.

Did you think you were ready to gig?,
Yes, we had worked hard for months, and were being asked to play at parties.

Did you see Ozzy, again?,
Yes I did, they used to collect Bill Ward in an old white ambulance from his parents house, they lived across the road from us.

What was yours and their first taste, of heavy music?,
I would say it was Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix, and Black Night by Deep Purple.

Have you seen Black Sabbath live?,
Yes, I saw them at the N.E.C. at the Reunion tour, on the 4.14.1997., and they were brilliant.

 

OZZTREE

 

1966

MUSIC MACHINE

 

VOCALS-OZZY   GUITAR?   BASS?   DRUMS?

NOTE: OZZY STOOD IN FOR THE SINGER OF MUSIC MACHINE BECAUSE THE SINGER

WAS ILL.

 

1967

FEBRUARY TO APRIL

APPROACH

 

VOCALS-OZZY   LEAD GUITAR-TONY   RHYTHM GUITAR-JEFF ( ME )   BASS-TERRY?

DRUMS-? NOTE: THE DRUMMER ONLY PLAYED WITH US A FEW TIMES SO I DID

NOT GET TO KNOW HIS NAME.

 

1967

AFTER APRIL

RARE BREED

 

VOCALS-OZZY   GUITAR-ROGER HOPE   BASS-GEEZER BUTLER   DRUMS-ROB GURNEY.

 

1967-68

POLKA TULK

 

VOCALS-OZZY   LEAD GUITAR-TONI IOMMI   GUITAR-JIMMY PHILIPS   SAX-ACKA

CLARK   BASS-GEEZER BUTLER   DRUMS-BILL WARD.

 

1968

EARTH

 

VOCALS-OZZY   LEAD GUITAR-TONI IOMMI   BASS-GEEZER BUTLER   DRUMS-BILL

WARD.

 

 1968-69

BLACK SABBATH

 

VOCALS-OZZY   LEAD GUITAR-TONI IOMMI   BASS-GEEZER BUTLER   DRUMS-BILL

WARD.