Ozzy Osbourne records 'How?' to mark 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth

Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has recorded a new version of John Lennon’s “How?” to mark the 70th anniversary of the birth of John Lennon on Saturday 9 October.

The song, released worldwide exclusively on iTunes this week (see link below), will see 81 pence of every 99-pence iTunes download in the UK going to Amnesty International. An accompanying video (again, see link below) shows Ozzy Osbourne in various New York locations, including at the Lennon Memorial in Central Park.

Ozzy Osbourne, who cites Lennon and the Beatles as his inspiration for becoming a musician, said:

"Lennon was a driving force for humanity. If we want to survive as a race of people we’ve got to address problems head on. John and Yoko took the bull by the horns and for that you've got to take your hat off to both of them."

Three years ago Yoko Ono donated to Amnesty all of Lennon’s publishing royalties for "Instant Karma" - an album of Lennon compositions performed by the likes of  U2, R.E.M., Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, Aerosmith and Christina Aguilera. "Instant Karma" has raised millions of pounds for Amnesty’s work on Darfur in Sudan.

Yoko Ono said:

"This year the whole world is celebrating the 70th anniversary of John's birth. His spirit and influence is stronger than ever. John shared a common purpose with Amnesty International - shining a light on wrongs and campaigning to protect people's rights.  We all shine on!"

Amnesty International USA’s Executive Director Larry Cox said:

 "Once again Yoko Ono has shared the extraordinary legacy of her husband's music to make a difference in the lives of those who have no voice. We continue to be enormously grateful to her for her support and generosity. Yoko and John Lennon were devoted to seeking a better world and used the power of their artistry to work toward that goal. Ozzy Osbourne's gift, with Sharon Osbourne’s strong and generous support, makes the same powerful statement today - that individuals can make a difference when they join with others who share a commitment to justice and freedom.”

The song can be purchased for 99 pence from iTunes at:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/how-benefitting-amnesty-international/…

The video can be viewed at:
http://www.protectthehuman.com/videos/ozzy-osbourne-sings-john-lennon-s…