The Story Behind the Portraits of Ozzy Osbourne in a Pink Tutu, Shot by Mark Weiss for Circus Magazine in 1981

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In April 1984, photographer Mark Weiss was assigned to shoot with Ozzy Osbourne for a cover and feature in Circus magazine.

Mark recalled his time with the rock star: “I knew this one would be a blast—news had just come out that Ozzy had bit the head off a dove at a record company meeting the month before. He was in NYC promoting his first solo album Blizzard of Ozz. I spent a few days with Ozzy, shooting him around New York City and at his hotel room at the Plaza where I set up a background for the cover shoot. Circus was planning on using his image on a few different covers as well as in multiple spreads, so we tried a few different looks during the session.

“We just hit it off right from the start with my first shoot with him for the cover of Circus magazine, I was young and didn’t know crap. When I asked him to do something he did it he made it easy for me. He gave me my confidence. He was up for anything… from my first shoot with him in a pink tutu, to a shaved head, dressing up in drag or hoping around in a Easter bunny outfit. When Ozzy needed a new guitar player, I found him one.”

Ozzy Osbourne in a pink tutu, 1981.

Ozzy Osbourne, 1981.

Circus magazine cover, June 1981.

“Ozzy was a great subject. When I asked him to try something, he would always do it, and more. At the time, I didn’t always speak up. One of the things I kept telling him was to lean his head forward, because he had a bit of a double chin when his head was relaxed.

“He couldn’t understand my direction, but instinctively he would lean his head forward to hear me better. Ozzy would keep saying, “What? I can’t hear you, Mark!” So I would yell, “Yes, that’s it!” He would answer, “What’s it? What the fuck are you saying?” It was like an Abbott and Costello routine. We had a good laugh about that.”