FAITH NO MORE’s Mike Bordin Says OZZY OSBOURNE Saved His Life: 'You’re the reason I’m here'

Summary

• Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin recalls telling Ozzy Osbourne that War Pigs helped him through personal tragedy.
• The band performed the Black Sabbath classic live with Ozzy at a 1990 award ceremony after being named Band of the Year.
• Bordin later joined Ozzy’s solo band and will appear at the upcoming Back to the Beginning farewell concert.

When Faith No More released The Real Thing in June 1989, it marked more than just their third studio album. It was the first with vocalist Mike Patton and quickly became a defining moment for the band.

Songs like Epic, Falling to Pieces, and From Out of Nowhere cemented their place in rock history.

Tucked into the album’s tracklist was a bold cover of War Pigs, the iconic Black Sabbath anthem.

That decision led drummer Mike Bordin to an unexpected and deeply personal moment a year later, detailed in a feature by Metal Hammer.

In 1990, Faith No More was named Band of the Year by RIP Magazine. During the award ceremony, packed with heavy hitters from the rock and metal world, the band got a surreal invitation: perform War Pigs live on stage, with Ozzy Osbourne himself.

After the performance, Ozzy approached Bordin and, instead of praise, asked a surprising question.

“He asked me, ‘Why did you put War Pigs on your album? Were you making fun of it?’ That threw me off. The last thing I expected from someone who helped write such an iconic song.”

The conversation turned from awkward to emotional. Bordin chose to be honest.

“I started telling him this long story. When I was young, my mom took her own life. I didn’t have much of a family. Then I found Sabbath. It wasn’t cheerful music, but it was strong, dark, and it told me I wasn’t alone. So I told him: ‘You saved my life.’ That hit him hard. But he needed to hear what he meant to people.”

That moment of vulnerability left a lasting impact, on both of them.

In 1996, Bordin officially joined Ozzy Osbourne’s band. He would go on to record three albums with the Prince of Darkness: Down to Earth (2001), Under Cover (2005), and Black Rain (2007).

More recently, Bordin is set to appear at Back to the Beginning, a farewell concert marking the final performance of both Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne. Details on the event can be found here.

About Faith No More

Formed in San Francisco in the early 1980s, Faith No More built a reputation for defying genre conventions. Blending elements of metal, funk, hip-hop, and alternative rock, the band stood apart from their peers with a sound that was both unpredictable and influential.

Before Mike Patton joined in 1988, the group had already released two albums with vocalist Chuck Mosley. Patton’s arrival marked a turning point, bringing a sharper vocal range and a more theatrical presence to the band’s identity.

Their 1992 follow-up, Angel Dust, pushed even further into experimental territory, challenging both fans and critics with its chaotic mix of styles.

Throughout the ’90s, Faith No More remained hard to pin down. Albums like King for a Day… Fool for a Lifetime and Album of the Year continued to experiment with genre and mood, even as tensions within the group grew.

The band disbanded in 1998 but reunited in 2009 for a string of live shows that reignited interest in their legacy.

In 2015, they released Sol Invictus, their first new album in nearly two decades, showcasing a darker and more refined version of their sound.

Got a tip for us? Email: [email protected]