Blasko

Blasko — Rob Nicholson, born in 1970 — has been the bassist in Ozzy Osbourne's band since 2003, spanning practically the whole final phase of the singer's career. Before that he was known for his years alongside Rob Zombie, and also passed through Danzig, two acts where the bass serves a function much like the one he would later fulfil. His approach is that of a backing band in the most demanding sense of the term: in a repertoire covering four decades and completely different line-ups — from Black Sabbath's seventies hard rock to the weight of the material with Zakk Wylde — it falls to the bassist to give unity to pieces written by musicians who never played together. Blasko does this with a full tone, direct execution and no attempt to reinterpret what is already canonical. Beyond the instrument, he built a second career behind the scenes of the industry, working in artist management within metal — an unusual activity for a working musician, and one that gave him an uncommon perspective on how the market operates. He remained in the band until the end, including the final performances and the farewell show held in Birmingham in July 2025.