Ozzy Osbourne will perform on ABC-TV’s Jimmy Kimmel Live on Friday, March 27th.  There’s no word on which songs Ozzy will perform or whether he’ll do the traditional mini-concert on Kimmel’s outdoor stage on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.  The appearance is likely to promote the upcoming premiere of The Osbournes: Reloaded, a new variety series featuring Ozzy, his wife Sharon and their kids Jack and Kelly.  The show, scheduled to debut on Fox later this spring, will feature Candid Camera-type bits, comedy skits, occasional musical performances, and guest stars.

Ozzy is currently working in Los Angeles on his 10th studio album, which will follow up 2007’s Black Rain. The new disc is expected in stores by Thanksgiving of this year.

Veteran rock act Def Leppard will return to the U.S. this summer. Joining them on all 40 dates will be Poison and Cheap Trick. Live Nation will produce the tour, which begins on June 23 in Camden, N.J.

Public on-sales begin March 6. Citi Card members will have access to a ticket presale starting March 4. Venues will be announced at a later date.

Aug. 11: Birmingham, Al.
Aug. 13: West Palm Beach, Fla.
Aug. 14: Tampa, Fla.
Aug. 15: Atlanta

Black Label Society will unleash a greatest hits CD/DVD, Skullage, on April 21. The DVD features various live sets (including acoustic versions of The Blessed Hellride, Spoke In The Wheel and Stillborn), BLS music videos and Zakk Wylde interviews. The individual DVD and individual CD will also be sold separately. The band will embark on the Black Label Bash tour on March 6

EMI Label Services and Caroline Distribution are promoting an extensive March Is Metal campaign with independent retailers across the U.S. The retail campaign will include promotions from such labels as Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Earache, Candlelight, Season of Mist, Willow Tip and Crash Music, and artists involved will include Absu, All Shall Perish, Cynic, Evile, In This Moment, Psycroptic, Malevolent Creation, Phobia, Suicide Silence and Viking Skull, among others. The plan is that throughout the month of March, EMI Label Services and Caroline will team up with online metal sites to drive fans to independent music retailers and promote the music.

“The Metal genre continues to surge in popularity with an ever-widening consumer-base. By partnering with indie retailers, EMI/Caroline Distribution’s March Is Metal Month is aimed at the core metal fan, but at the same time will expose some great labels and exciting artists to a larger audience,” said Dominic Pandiscia, SVP and GM of EMI Label Services & Caroline Distribution.  “We’ll give more fans the chance to sample and discover some very high caliber artists, new releases, and legendary catalog titles. The feedback has been great and we hope to make this an annual event.”

The Converse sneaker brand is planning a new line of products for the fall that will feature Metallica and AC/DC shoes, according to the New York Post. The music-related shoes will follow on the heels of the company’s initial success with a shoe that featured the British Union Jack flag and was linked to the Who. An Ozzy Osbourne shoe has been released as well, with a Pink Floyd model due out in March. Converse marketing chief Geoff Cottrill told the Post, “We’re planning another line of sneakers that will feature Metallica and AC/DC that will be available in the fall. We’re always looking to do more collaborations with bands and this one should be just as creative as the previous ones.”