Ozzy Osbourne did indeed reach out to Jimmy Page for a contribution to his forthcoming solo album, Patient Number 9, but with the album due out in a few weeks, Ozzy is still waiting for a reply.

The new album, Ozzy's 13th solo effort overall, features a gauntlet of special guest guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Slash, Mike McCready and Ozzy's fellow Black Sabbath cofounder Tony Iommi.

Elton John, Duff McKagan, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and longtime Ozzy guitarist/band leader Zakk Wylde also contributed to the record.

Smith let slip in the spring that Page was Ozzy's white whale for Patient Number 9. In a new conversation with Metal Hammer, Ozzy confirms that he really wanted to work with the Led Zeppelin mastermind.

"I don't even know if he plays any more, but I thought getting Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page meant having the greatest guitarists on the planet," Ozzy said. "But I never heard from him. Maybe he'd lost his phone or something."

Smith also questioned whether Page "plays anymore." He added, however, that Ozzy's album doesn't suffer for lack of the complete "holy trinity" of British rock guitarists.

"It's got all the stuff that you would want," Smith said of the LP.

While Page has teased a comeback for some time, it's been years since he performed live or released any new recordings. In late-2020, he said pandemic isolation had prompted him to start playing guitar again everyday. He added that he was dreaming a of a "mythical" live show once the world reopened.

Almost a year later in 2021 at the premiere of the Becoming Led Zeppelin documentary, Page made no mention of a return to music.

The Page-less Patient Number 9 is due September 9. Go here for more details.

Alex Lencina