Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath legend and bat-biting rock icon, dies at 76
Known to fans as 'The Prince of Darkness' and the 'Godfather of Heavy Metal,' Osbourne has died at the age of 76, his family said in a statement on Tuesday.
'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. He was with his family and surrounded by love,' they said.
Osbourne kicked off his career in the early 1970s as singer on Black Sabbath's hits, from 'Paranoid' to 'War Pigs' to 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath'. Those plus a string of solo releases saw him sell more than 100 million records worldwide.
The hard riffs and dark subject matter - from depression to war to apocalypse - combined with an instinct for Halloween theatrics. As a performer, Osbourne sprinkled audiences with raw meat and, in 1982, had his encounter with a bat thrown on stage by a fan.
He always insisted he thought it was a toy until he bit into it, realised his mistake and rushed to hospital for a rabies shot. He later sold branded bat soft toys with a removable head.
Osbourne was a regular target for conservative and religious groups concerned about the negative impact of rock music on young people. He acknowledged the excesses of his lifestyle and lyrics - but poured scorn on the wilder reports that he was an actual devil-worshipper.
'I've done some bad things in my time. But I ain't the devil. I'm just John Osbourne: a working-class kid from Aston who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time,' he said in a 2010 biography.
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John Michael Osbourne was the fourth of six children. Growing up in Aston, Birmingham, in central England, he struggled with dyslexia, left school at age 15, did a series of menial jobs, and at one point served a brief prison sentence for burglary. Then came Black Sabbath.
'When I was growing up, if you'd have put me up against a wall with the other kids from my street and asked me which one of us was gonna make it to the age of 60, with five kids and four grandkids and houses in Buckinghamshire and California, I wouldn't have put money on me, no fucking way,' he once said.
Britain's Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a member of parliament representing a Birmingham constituency, wrote on X that she was devastated to hear the news of his death.
'One of the greatest gifts my city gave the world,' Mahmood said.
In 2002, Osbourne won legions of new fans when he starred in U.S. reality TV show 'The Osbournes'.
Cameras followed the aging rock god ambling round his huge house in Beverly Hills, pronouncing on events in his heavy Birmingham accent and looking on bemused at the antics of his family.
Osbourne's family included wife and manager Sharon, five children including Jack, Kelly and Aimee, and several grandchildren.
No cause of death was given, but Osbourne revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The illness made him unable to walk.
In his final concert on July 5 in Birmingham, Osbourne performed sitting, at times appearing to have difficulties speaking as he thanked thousands of adoring fans, some of whom were visibly emotional.
Osbourne's performance followed a number of tributes on stage and on stadium screens from rock and pop royalty including Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Metallica's James Hetfield and Elton John.
'Thanks for your support over the years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you,' said Osbourne. - Reuters
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The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
10 songs to remember Ozzy Osbourne, the great Black Sabbath frontman
There are pioneering music figures, and then there is Ozzy Osbourne, the larger-than-life frontman of Black Sabbath, whose personal mythology is eclipsed only by the strength and immortality of his songs. A godfather and force of heavy metal, Osbourne died Tuesday at 76, just weeks after his last performance. The English icon's idiosyncratic, throaty voice launched generations of metalheads, both through his work at the reins of Black Sabbath and in his solo career. Across his repertoire, there are songs with total global ubiquity and lesser-known innovations with his unique, spooky aesthetic quality. To celebrate Osbourne's life and legacy, we've selected just a few songs that made the man, from timeless tunes to a few left-of-center selections. It would be a challenge to name a more immediately recognisable guitar riff than the one that launches Black Sabbath's 1970 megahit Iron Man . It transcends the metal genre - an all-timer heard around the world and in guitar stores everywhere. One of the great Vietnam War protest songs, Black Sabbath's War Pigs is a rare moment where hippies and metalheads can agree: "Politicians hide themselves away/ They only started the war/ Why should they go out to fight?" Osbourne sings in the bridge. Osbourne's heaviest performances are at least partially indebted to Black Sabbath's bassist and lyricist Terry Geezer Butler, and there is perhaps no better example than Children of the Grave , the single from the band's 1971 album, Master of Reality . "Must the world live in the shadow of atomic fear?" Osbourne embodies Butler's words, a sonic fist lifted in the air. "Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear?" Rock musicians (L-R) Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne and Nikki Sixx pose during a news conference in Los Angeles April 30, 2010 announcing the lineup for their OZZFest concert tour which kicks off August 14, 2010 in San Bernardino, California. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/File Photo Black Sabbath were in a creative rut in the time period leading up to Sabbath Bloody Sabbath , the opening track from their 1973 album of the same name. It's almost hard to believe now - the song features one of their best-known riffs, and its chorus features some truly ascendant vocals. Would the world know what a vibraslap sounds like without the immediately recognisable introduction to Osbourne's first solo single, Crazy Train ? To call it a classic is almost a disservice - it is an addicting tune, complete with chugging guitars and Cold War-era fears. Ozzy Osbourne, of Black Sabbath, performs at Ozzfest on Sept. 24, 2016, in San Bernardino, Calif. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File) Another classic cut from Osbourne's debut solo album, Blizzard Of Ozz - released one year after Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath for his legendary excesses, - the arena rock anthem Mr. Crowley pays tribute to the famed English occultist Aleister Crowley and features Deep Purple's Don Airey on keyboard. The title track and coda of Osbourne's second solo studio album, Diary of a Madman , runs over six minutes long, features big strings and a choir so theatrical it sounds like they're scoring a medieval war film. He wanted big, he wanted dramatic, and he nailed it. It wouldn't be inaccurate to call Mama, I'm Coming Home a beautiful-sounding song. It's unlike anything on this list, a power ballad featuring lyrics written by the late Motörhead frontman Lemmy and a welcomed deviation. Singer Ozzy Osbourne performs during halftime of an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills in Inglewood, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2022. — Photo: AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File In the early '90s, Osbourne announced a short-lived retirement from music - one that ended with the release of 1995's Ozzmosis . There's a lot to love here - in particular, the haunting, full-throated chorus of Perry Mason . Late in life Ozzy Osbourne was generous with his time and talent, often collaborating with younger performers who idolised the metal legend. One such example is Post Malone's Take What You Want , which also features the rapper Travis Scott. Osbourne gives the song a necessary gothic edge - validating the otherwise balladic song's use of a sprightly guitar solo. – AP
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Remembering Ozzy Osbourne's style: From stolen shirts to the Prince of Darkness
His journey from small-time criminal to heavy metal's comic Prince of Darkness started with clothes. Growing up in Birmingham, England, Ozzy Osbourne didn't see much of a future for himself, so he decided to give it a go as a cat burglar. His main target, according to his 2009 memoir, I Am Ozzy , was a clothing shop not far from home. On his third attempt, he recalled, 'I managed to nick some shirts.' But he was arrested soon afterward and sent to Winson Green Prison, a century-old facility that looked like a medieval fortress. His six-week jail stint caused him to reconsider his plan to become a career criminal. He took jobs in an auto parts factory and a slaughterhouse. Inspired by the Beatles, he wanted more than anything to join a rock-n-roll band. The first step he took toward this unrealistic-seeming goal was to change his appearance. 'I didn't even know anyone who could play a musical instrument,' he recalled. 'So, instead, I decided to grow my hair long and get some tattoos. At least I'd look the part.' Read more: Music you can 'see'? Rhythm and beats are now visible through fashion He was the same age as many of the young people who wore bright, flowing garments during the so-called Summer of Love, but he detested flower power. When he finally joined up with some old schoolmates to form Black Sabbath, he made his way toward a style that represented a dramatic departure from the cheerful hues favoured by the tie-dye crowd. The hippies liked soft fabrics that reflected an innocent view of a world, where peace and love would win out in the end. Osbourne favoured capes and heavy boots. He had gone to jail, not college. It took him a while to find a style that worked, especially before the money rolled in. Ozzy Osbourne poses for a photo in Los Angeles on Dec 21, 1981. Photo: AP 'I'd walk around in an old pyjama top for a shirt with a hot-water tap on a piece of string for a necklace,' he wrote in his memoir. 'You had to use your imagination. And I never wore shoes – not even in winter. People would ask me where I got my 'fashion inspiration' from and I'd tell them: 'By being a dirty broke (expletive) and never taking a bath.'' All the members of Black Sabbath came from Aston, the same blue-collar Birmingham neighborhood as Osbourne, parts of which were reduced to rubble by German air attacks during World War II. The members' look was as much an expression of their background as their music. A metal cross that Osbourne's father, a toolmaker, made in his spare time for him became a key Black Sabbath accessory. Osbourne, who died Tuesday (July 22) at age 76, would wear cross pendants for the rest of his life. There was always a touch of irony to the look and sound of Black Sabbath, and when he performed live, Osbourne was a light-spirited presence, a friendly ringleader for his audience of misfits. So he was surprised when some actual Satanists asked the band to perform during a ritual at Stonehenge. Black Sabbath made use of the trappings of horror in the manner of George Romero and other film directors who understood that people are entertained by grim fantasies. The clothing was part of the act. With its hard, sludgy sound, and songs like War Pigs and Paranoid , Black Sabbath frightened parents and made very little sense to the critics who had sung the praises of Bob Dylan and the Beatles. But there was an upside to the lack of approval from the establishment. It meant that the young rock fans of the 1970s had Black Sabbath all to themselves, and the band's horror-inspired look became a style staple of teenagers from the Midlands of England to the American Midwest. Some of those fans would start heavy metal bands of their own, and the style pioneered by Osbourne inspired the fashions of Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Marilyn Manson and any other heavy metal act with a sense of the theatrical. In 1979, Osbourne was kicked out of Black Sabbath, with his bandmates saying that his substance abuse had made him unreliable. In the next decade, he embraced the Gothic look with a sense of camp, making black his main colour as he became known as the Prince of Darkness. That nickname seemed especially apt when he bit the head off a bat during a concert in 1982, even if he had been under the mistaken impression that it was a toy, rather than an actual animal. Read more: Through adversity, a new aesthetic: The Princess of Wales' fashion evolution As Osbourne's solo career continued, tinted round eyeglasses joined his ever-present cross as his signature accessories. That look continued to serve him well when he became an unlikely reality television star in the early 2000s, playing a befuddled father and husband on MTV's The Osbournes . For four memorable seasons, he looked as if he had just stepped out of the underworld, a style made all the funnier when he had trouble operating the remote. Osbourne dressed evil. But he was in on the joke. – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Malay Mail
Fairies wear boots — and one just walked off stage forever: The incredible impact of Ozzy Osbourne
LONDON, July 24 — Ozzy Osbourne, the 'prince of darkness' and godfather of heavy metal, has died aged 76, just weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath bandmates for a farewell concert in his hometown of Birmingham in England. His family posted a brief message overnight: '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 changed the sound of rock music and leaves behind a stellar career spanning six decades, numerous Grammy awards, multiple hall of fame inductions — and a wave of controversy. An agent of change In 1969, from the ashes of various bands, Geezer Butler (bass), Tony Iommi (guitar), Bill Ward (drums) and Osbourne formed the band Earth. Realising the name was taken, they quickly changed their name to Black Sabbath, an homage to the 1963 Italian horror anthology film. With the Summer of Love a recent memory, Black Sabbath were part of a heavy music revolution, providing an antidote to the free loving hippies of the late 60s period. Despite making their first two albums cheaply, Black Sabbath, released in February 1970, and Paranoid, released September that same year, they were a global success. Their approach was laden with sarcasm and irony. American audiences mistook this for satanic worship, positioning them as outsiders (albeit popular ones). After Black Sabbath's early successes, they were managed by the notorious Don Arden, whose daughter Sharon Levy was the receptionist. More than any musical bond Osbourne had in his life, Sharon would be the most influential character throughout his life. Osbourne recorded eight albums with Black Sabbath (some to critical acclaim) and was then kicked out (by Sharon) due to his troubles with drugs and alcohol. Ozzy solo Osbourne's solo career has always been managed by Sharon. While recording his second solo album, Diary of a Madman, guitarist Rhodes died in a tragic light plane crash. Osbourne was close to Rhodes and fell into a deep depression, after never having lost someone so close. Sharon and Osbourne married only months after this incident. His struggle with drug use did not stop him from making further solo records alongside various guitar players, continuing with moderate success throughout his career. On the road, Osbourne put the John Farnham's last tour trope to shame. He held his last ever gig more times than one can count with names like No More Tours (1992–93), Retirement Sucks (1995–96) and No More Tours 2 (2018–19). This lament for touring led to the most successful era of Osbourne's career. After being rejected for the 1995 Lollapaloza festival bill, Sharon (and their son Jack) started Ozzfest; initially an annual two-day multiband festival headlined by Osbourne, held in Phoenix, Arizona, and Devore, California. Subsequently becoming a national — and then international — tour, Ozzfest led to a successful partnership with MTV, which led to the reality TV show The Osbournes premiering in 2002. Here, his previous and ongoing battle with drugs was obvious, proudly on display — and ridiculed — to huge global audiences. The spectacle of a rich rockstar and his family, featuring a constant barrage of swearing, battles with lavish TV remotes, canine therapy, never-ending chaos, and Osbourne constantly yelling 'Sharrrooon' like a twisted maniacal loop of A Street Car Named Desire. Struggles and controversies Osbourne suffered multiple health conditions over the years, rarely concealing the state of his physical or mental wellbeing. Notably he's struggled with drug and alcohol abuse his whole career with drug recovery centres using Osbourne as an exemplar. In 2007 he disclosed he suffered from the Parkinson's adjacent condition Parkinsonian syndrome. In 2019 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This resulted in him being unable to walk for his final Back to the Beginning show in Birmingham on July 5, 2025. And Osbourne's career had more than its fair share of controversy. He bit the head off a dove and a bat (celebrated with a commemorative toy), and urinated on the Alamo cenotaph. He was taken to court multiple times, but was never convicted. Ozzy and me As a white middle-class boy growing up in the Brisbane suburbs in the 80s, heavy metal music appealed to my testosterone and pimple filled body. Exploring the secondhand record shops of Brisbane, I would've bought my first copy of Black Sabbath around 1985. The sound of thunder and a distant church bell before the first drop-D riff enters seemed like the antithesis to sunny Queensland and 80s pop. As my life became obsessed with the recording studio and the vociferous music scene in Brisbane in the post-Joh era, and those drop-D riffs influenced a new style that swept the world in the early 90s. Osbourne's influence was huge and through grunge, his sound was reborn. Grunge was a marriage of the Sabbath-like drop-D riffs with the energy of punk and the melody of the Beatles. Listening to Black Sabbath and Ozzy records, equipped me with a sonic palette ready to capture the wave of alternative music emerging from the Brisbane scene. While Ozzy's death is no surprise (except for those who never thought he'd last this long), we should take pause and remember an icon with an endless energy for entertaining, a passion for music, and changing the expectations of popular culture for more than 50 years. — Reuters
