City band give Ozzy a blast from the past . .

But now an Edinburgh band are hoping to give Ozzy Osbourne a blast from the past by recording one of his earliest - and now forgotten - songs.

Chris Bradley was left the lyrics and music to Desperate Man by a friend of his father's, who grew up singing and playing with Ozzy in the 1960s.

He believes the former Black Sabbath frontman has probably completely forgotten about the track. His friend John Lindsay gave Chris the lyrics shortly before he died of cancer last December. Now Chris, 26, has recorded his own version of the song. He will be performing it with his band, Colonel Turnon, at Whistlebinkies on South Bridge tonight.

The band have sent their recording to Ozzy's wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, and are hoping it will bring back memories for him.

Chris, who lives in Grosvenor Crescent in the West End, said he remembered listening to John playing the song when he was growing up. John had been a professional bagpiper, although he also sang and played the guitar.

After John's premature death in his 50s, Chris was spurred on to record his own version of the song. He said: "The song was part of our family legend. John used to play it at parties when he came up to visit. It brings back a lot of memories.

"He was a friend of my father's and of Ozzy's. They both lived in Birmingham when they were growing up. John always claimed this song was written by Ozzy and they used to play it together.

"John gave me the lyrics to it last year. I think this is what he would have wanted.

"The song is about this guy who's trying to do something good, but it's coming across all wrong. I can imagine Ozzy writing and singing it when he was younger.

"We'd like to make contact with him, and see if he remembers writing it. He might have just forgotten it, or maybe he didn't like it. But everyone we've played it to has loved it. If he did record the song and released it, then it would be a dream come true."

Rock star Osbourne, 57, has had an extraordinary career spanning three decades.

He was lead singer of Black Sabbath in the 1970s, selling millions of records around the world and following a hard-living lifestyle. He then built a successful solo career after he left the band in 1979. More recently, his award-winning reality TV show The Osbournes has been a hit on Channel 4.

A spokeswoman for his agent, Independent Talent Booking, said Chris's record would be forwarded to Ozzy's management.

LYRICS TO DESPERATE MAN

Try to say the right thing when I can

But I sound like a desperate man

Try to lend a gentle helping hand

he called me a desperate man

I'm a vanguard, I treat her right

But I sound like a desperate type

Went to talk to her, she saw my face

Inside it's a desperate place...

Let the man burn, it's getting worse

I'm a man with the desperate curse

Don't you come too close til I'm sure

You're the girl with the desperate cure

Been sleeping rough, under stars

Playing the downtown bars

Can't blame myself, I blame you

It's a thing that the desperate do

I'm afraid everything's gonna turn to black

I'll fly away

Fly away one day

In your eyes I see a place for me

A desperate breed on another plain

She was a different strain

And the real me she'll never know

I gave a desperate show

How our points cross and we still miss

That was a desperate kiss

As the crow flies it's getting dark

For the man with the desperate heart

I'm afraid everything's gonna turn to black

I'll fly away

Fly away one day

In your eyes I see a place for me

I'm afraid everything's gonna turn to black

I'll fly away

Fly away one day

In your eyes I see sanctuary