Coming off last year’s tag-teamed “Crack Cocaine” single, Billy Morrison and fellow skies-watcher Ozzy Osbourne have unveiled a new version of an even earlier collaboration of theirs: “Gods of Rock N Roll.” Ten years on from the original, a new, symphony-assisted take on the tune has arrived online.
Morrison began teasing the track back in January, writing on X that new music would be on the way “later in the month,” and that “something wonderful this way comes.” The post also included a photo of Morrison working in a recording studio with Osbourne, as well as Billy Idol’s guitarist, Steve Stevens (Morrison likewise plays bass with the Rebel Yeller) and more.
“Gods of Rock N Roll” revamps Morrison’s “Gods” track from 2015, which had appeared on his God Shaped Hole album that same year. Having re-recorded the song from top to bottom, “Gods of Rock N Roll” now features the 61-piece Budapest Scoring Orchestra, Stevens on lead guitar, and a choir.
“Ozzy and I have breathed new life into what we always felt was a huge song,” Morrison explained in a statement. “‘Gods of Rock N Roll’ was written ten years ago in a South American hotel room, but with this re-recording we both feel we have finally made the song what it was always meant to be – a huge emotive ballad.”
“This re-recorded version of the song finally has all the bells and whistles,” Osbourne noted in an interview with Kerrang. “I told Billy then that it needed an orchestra and a choir, but it took 10 FUCKING YEARS for him to listen to me.”
While the newly done “Gods of Rock N Roll” had previously been premiered on SiriusXM’s ‘Ozzy’s Boneyard’ station, you can hear how Billy and Ozzy beefed-up the tune up above via their new video for the song.
“Gods of Rock N Roll” is likewise set to appear on the deluxe version of Morrison’s 2024 album, The Morrison Project, which included “Crack Cocaine,” as well as guest spots from Stevens, Idol, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, Steve Vai and more.
The deluxe re-release is out February 21st via TLG ZOID / Virgin Music Group.