Ozzy Osbourne, the “prince of darkness” and godfather of heavy metallic, has died aged 76, simply weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for a farewell live performance in his hometown of Birmingham in England.
His household posted a short message in a single day: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.”
John Michael Osbourne modified the sound of rock music and leaves behind a stellar profession spanning six a long time, quite a few Grammy awards, a number of corridor of fame inductions – and a wave of controversy.
An agent of change
In 1969, from the ashes of varied bands, Geezer Butler (bass), Tony Iommi (guitar), Invoice Ward (drums) and Osbourne shaped the band Earth.
Realising the identify was taken, they rapidly modified their identify to Black Sabbath, an homage to the 1963 Italian horror anthology movie.
With the Summer season of Love a current reminiscence, Black Sabbath had been a part of a heavy music revolution, offering an antidote to the free loving hippies of the late 60s interval.
Regardless of making their first two albums cheaply, Black Sabbath, launched in February 1970, and Paranoid, launched September that very same 12 months, they had been a worldwide success.
Their method was laden with sarcasm and irony. American audiences mistook this for satanic worship, positioning them as outsiders (albeit well-liked ones).
Black Sabbath pose for a gaggle portrait with gold discs, London, 1973, L-R Invoice Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler.
Michael Putland/Getty Photos
After Black Sabbath’s early successes, they had been managed by the infamous Don Arden, whose daughter Sharon Levy was the receptionist. Greater than any musical bond Osbourne had in his life, Sharon could be probably the most influential character all through his life.
Osbourne recorded eight albums with Black Sabbath (some to crucial acclaim) and was then kicked out (by Sharon) resulting from his troubles with medicine and alcohol.
Ozzy solo
Osbourne’s solo profession has at all times been managed by Sharon. Whereas recording his second solo album, Diary of a Madman, guitarist Rhodes died in a tragic mild aircraft crash. Osbourne was near Rhodes and fell right into a deep despair, after by no means having misplaced somebody so shut.
Sharon and Osbourne married solely months after this incident. His battle with drug use didn’t cease him from making additional solo information alongside numerous guitar gamers, persevering with with average success all through his profession.
On the highway, Osbourne put the John Farnham’s final tour trope to disgrace.
He held his final ever gig extra instances than one can rely with names like No Extra Excursions (1992–93), Retirement Sucks (1995–96) and No Extra Excursions 2 (2018–19).
Osbourne ‘retired’ many instances over 30 years. Right here he performs in California in 2022.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Photos
This lament for touring led to probably the most profitable period of Osbourne’s profession. After being rejected for the 1995 Lollapaloza pageant invoice, Sharon (and their son Jack) began Ozzfest; initially an annual two-day multiband pageant headlined by Osbourne, held in Phoenix, Arizona, and Devore, California.
Subsequently changing into a nationwide – after which worldwide – tour, Ozzfest led to a profitable partnership with MTV, which led to the fact TV present The Osbournes premiering in 2002. Right here, his earlier and ongoing battle with medicine was apparent, proudly on show – and ridiculed – to large international audiences.
The spectacle of a wealthy rockstar and his household featured a relentless barrage of swearing, battles with lavish TV remotes, canine remedy, unending chaos, and Osbourne continuously yelling “Sharrrooon” like a twisted maniacal loop of A Avenue Automotive Named Want.
Struggles and controversies
Osbourne suffered a number of well being situations through the years, hardly ever concealing the state of his bodily or psychological wellbeing.
Notably he’s struggled with drug and alcohol abuse his entire profession with drug restoration centres utilizing Osbourne as an exemplar. In 2007 he disclosed he suffered from the Parkinson’s adjoining situation Parkinsonian syndrome. In 2019 he was recognized with Parkinson’s illness.
Black Sabbath photographed within the Nineteen Seventies. Left to proper: Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Invoice Ward and Ozzy Osbourne.
Chris Walter/WireImage
This resulted in him being unable to stroll for his closing Again to the Starting present in Birmingham on July 5 2025.
And Osbourne’s profession had greater than its justifiable share of controversy. He bit the pinnacle off a dove and a bat (celebrated with a commemorative toy), and urinated on the Alamo cenotaph. He was taken to courtroom a number of instances, however was by no means convicted.
Ozzy and me
As a white middle-class boy rising up within the Brisbane suburbs within the 80s, heavy metallic music appealed to my testosterone and pimple crammed physique.
Exploring the secondhand file outlets of Brisbane, I’d’ve purchased my first copy of Black Sabbath round 1985. The sound of thunder and a distant church bell earlier than the primary drop-D riff enters appeared just like the antithesis to sunny Queensland and 80s pop.
As my life grew to become obsessive about the recording studio and the vociferous music scene in Brisbane within the post-Joh period, and people drop-D riffs influenced a brand new type that swept the world within the early 90s.
Osbourne’s affect was enormous and thru grunge, his sound was reborn. Grunge was a wedding of the Sabbath-like drop-D riffs with the power of punk and the melody of the Beatles.
Osbourne and his spouse Sharon Osbourne on the Steel Hammer Golden God awards, in London, 2018.
Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
Listening to Black Sabbath and Ozzy information, outfitted me with a sonic palette able to seize the wave of other music emmerging from the Brisbane scene.
Whereas Ozzy’s loss of life isn’t any shock (besides for many who by no means thought he’d final this lengthy), we must always take pause and keep in mind an icon with an countless power for entertaining, a ardour for music, and altering the expectations of well-liked tradition for greater than 50 years.
