“Peter Frampton, Foreigner, and Ozzy are the ones who deserve recognition.”
Except Ozzy because he+Sharon ripped off all their amazing guitarists. As far as songwriting credits. I have read brutal stories about this in the last month. Sharon learned from her father. Who was a mafia style music mogul in England.
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Don Arden, known as the “Al Capone of Pop” and the “English Godfather,” was a notorious figure in the music industry with a reputation for aggressive and often illegal business tactics1. His career was filled with numerous controversial incidents that have become legendary in the music business.
Intimidation and Violence
One of the most infamous stories about Arden involves an incident in 1966. When rival manager Robert Stigwood attempted to lure away one of Arden’s groups, The Small Faces, Arden and his “minders” visited Stigwood’s fourth-floor office. Arden reportedly threatened to throw Stigwood out of the window if he ever interfered with his business again13. This wasn’t an isolated incident; Arden had made similar threats to other industry figures, including Allen Klein and Clifford Davis1.
Financial Disputes
Arden was known for his questionable accounting practices. Many of his acts, including The Small Faces, claimed they never received the full amount of money owed to them23. In one instance, John Hawken of The Nashville Teens confronted Arden about financial discrepancies, only to be threatened with defenestration2.
Family Conflicts
Perhaps one of the most disturbing stories involves Arden’s relationship with his daughter, Sharon Osbourne. When Sharon began managing Ozzy Osbourne (formerly of Black Sabbath, another Arden-managed band), Arden was furious. During a visit to her parents’ house, Sharon was allegedly attacked by Arden’s vicious dogs. She was pregnant at the time and lost the child due to the attack23.
Legal Troubles
In the 1980s, Arden faced serious legal problems. He was arrested for kidnapping and torturing a Jet Records accountant whom he suspected of embezzlement. While Arden was acquitted, his son David was convicted and spent time in prison for his involvement3.
Business Practices
Arden was proud of his intimidating reputation, often playing up his image as a ruthless operator. He wore gangster-style suits and decorated his office with a picture of himself impersonating Edward G. Robinson1. He openly admitted to using fear and terror as business tactics, stating that he was proud of his ability to make people “keep looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives”1.
You could say all that about Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin’s manager.