Even after securing the position, Rudy Sarzo still sought reassurance about his acceptance as the new bass player in Ozzy Osbourne's band.

Sarzo recently shared what Ozzy did to help him feel more at ease during an appearance on The Magnificent Others, a podcast hosted by Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins.

What Did Ozzy Say About Rudy During a Magazine Interview?

With the help of former Quiet Riot bandmate Randy Rhoads, Sarzo auditioned for Osbourne’s band in early 1981.

The first step involved playing two songs with the band while Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne observed from the front of the stage. The group then asked Rudy to perform the two songs again, this time with Ozzy behind the microphone.

“Ozzy turns to me and says, ‘Hey, man, do you want the gig?’ And I said, yes,” Sarzo recounted during a recent episode of The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan. “And my life went into Panavision color at that moment. It was like, ‘Wow, I’m in this world now.’

Despite successfully nailing the audition, Sarzo still questioned whether he would fit in with the band. Acceptance was something he had always wondered about since his family escaped Cuba and moved to Florida in 1961 when he was just 10 years old.

However, it was an interview that Ozzy gave to Circus magazine that ultimately made Sarzo feel at ease.

The 74-year-old bass player mentioned that in the 1981 interview, Ozzy was asked who was in his band at that time. He referred to Sarzo as “Rudy from Cuba.”

“I open (the magazine) and I see ‘Rudy from Cuba,’ and I went ‘Wow, he doesn’t mind that I am from Cuba.’ That is what confirmed it.”

How Did Ozzy and Sharon Help Rudy?

Sarzo told Corgan that he was still sleeping on the floor after joining Osbourne’s band. But that changed once Ozzy and Sharon intervened.

The couple invited Sarzo to live with them so he would have a comfortable place to sleep. Ozzy also offered his new bass player some of his own stage clothing.

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“We were playing pool. He looks at me and says, ‘Man, you look like you need some rock and roll clothes,'” Sarzo recalled.

Ozzy left the room only to return with a suitcase full of clothing that he dumped out on the pool table.

“He says, ‘Grab whatever you want.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh my god, that’s the jacket from that album cover of this magazine.’

Sarzo told Ozzy that he couldn’t take the clothing, but the Prince of Darkness insisted.

“Nobody did that for me before,” Sarzo said about the hospitality shown by Ozzy and Sharon.

WATCH: Rudy Sarzo on ‘The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan’

Today, Sarzo continues to perform with Quiet Riot. The band is scheduled to play several shows throughout 2025. A complete list of concert dates and ticket information can be found on their official website.