Billy Morrison Reflects on the Loss of Ozzy Osbourne And More
(SiriusXM's Trunk Nation) Billy Morrison recently sat down with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation. Morrison opened up about his relationship with Marilyn Manson, reflected on Ozzy Osbourne's passing and discussed his new album.
Billy Morrison Reflects on the Loss of Ozzy - Eddie Trunk: You know, you bring up Ozzy and of course, it's just been, you know, it's right around a year now coming up that we lost him. Everybody knows of your relationship and your closeness, especially people listening here on SiriusXM because of all the great stuff you did with him over on his channel. How has the last year for you been? I imagine very, very hard, but when you look back and you see the outpouring of love and respect and the tributes and everything that's happened and then some of the things that's happened since we lost him, how are you feeling about everything? I know that it's something you're probably never gonna get over, but you know, how do you look back on the last year?
Billy Morrison: I think that the anniversaries that happened recently were no harder for me than the other 364 days that I've missed the guy. You know what I mean? It was really tough for a few months. I can tell you I still haven't watched either of the documentaries. I don't, I can't. I'm in them both, and I can't watch them. I don't think I need to watch them, to be honest with you, Eddie. I am also, I'm happy that the man is at peace. He's not in pain anymore and he's at peace, and the love, listen, there are presidents of countries that don't get the love Ozzy Osbourne had when he passed, when he left us, when the anniversaries rolled around, and so, you know, I just, I miss my friend. I miss my friend, that's it, but I'm happy that the world doesn't forget him.
Billy Morrison on His New Record - Eddie Trunk: Billy, congratulations on the new album. As I was telling my audience, I always like to do interviews with artists about a new album coming out very close to the release of the album, because even though a lot of music comes out in advance these days, people have short attention spans and they get a chance to really dig right in if they like what they hear and your album comes out tomorrow, so this is perfect timing. This is, I believe, your third or fourth solo album, right? "Hollow?"
Billy Morrison: It's the fourth, but it's really the second serious, here we go giving birth to a body of work type deal. You know, "The Morrison Project" a couple of years ago was the first one that I really felt, "Oh god." I mean, we had a number one, we had a number seven, I think, and I started to think, "Okay, maybe I have something to say," and so now this follow up, I'm so proud of it, Eddie. I didn't think I was gonna do another one, but I clearly had the songs and the record label are just amazing that they support me. The thing that I am, I'm not trying to be Taylor Swift and get a solo career here. What makes it fun for me is the team that I have around me are old school. We do vinyl, we do CDs, we do tons of videos that look like they're a million dollar budget, you know, how music used to be, and an album, 12 songs with a story that goes through it and a journey, side A, side B. I'm surrounded by people that do that and it makes it worth doing it for me.
Billy Morrison on Relationship with Marilyn Manson - Eddie Trunk: You brought up Manson a couple times and he's on a track on the record and I've always been a fan and I know Manson as well and I'm really happy for him because he has really changed, I mean, in the best of ways and gotten totally sober. I mean, did you know Manson for a long time? Because I knew him back when he was anything but, and now he's a completely different guy for the better and he got his career back too, which is great, so do you have a lot of history with him?
Billy Morrison: I mean, we've gotten a lot. Let's put it this way. I've known him for a long, long while. I definitely knew him back then, but we've gotten a lot closer. I mean, you can't help but get closer to people when they stop being loaded. Most people I know become much nicer when they're not getting hammered, you know?
Eddie Trunk: Well, Billy, I bring this up specifically too, because of course of your own history, so I figured you'd go there because you could certainly relate.
Billy Morrison: 100%. I would not be able to make these records or hang out or even talk to you if I was loaded. You wouldn't want that. I'm an idiot when I'm using, like most of us. Manson is a joy to be around. He's a lovely man. I reconnected really seriously at Ozzy's funeral. I had to do one of the eulogies in England at the house and I haven't been in that kind of state in a long while. I was really emotional and he helped me. He helped me a lot. Unconditional love. He just, you know, he put his arm around me and he said a few things and that meant the world, and then you know, we got back to America and I said, "Listen, I've got this track and there's only one person that can sing it and it's you," and he loved it and we did it.
SiriusXM's Trunk Nation hosted by Eddie Trunk airs daily at 3pm ET on SiriusXM's Faction Talk (ch. 103).
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