'Lost our brother': Black Sabbath bandmates and Elton John lead tributes to Ozzy Osbourne

ITV News

2 days ago

Black Sabbath and other stars have been paying tribute to the band's frontman, Ozzy Osbourne, who died at the age of 76.
Paying tribute to the megastar, Sir Elton John described Osbourne as a 'true legend'.
'He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods,' he wrote on Instagram.
'He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met.
"I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx.'
Black Sabbath bassist Terence 'Geezer' Butler has said he is 'so glad' the band reunited with Ozzy Osbourne one final time for a farewell concert at Birmingham's Villa Park earlier this month.
The music superstar's death was announced in a statement on Tuesday, saying he was 'with his family and surrounded by love'.
'Thanks for all those years- we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston- who'd have thought, eh?' he wrote on Instagram.
'So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.'
Black Sabbath's eponymous debut album in 1970 made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records.
They went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, selling more than 75 million albums worldwide.
The group were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and Osbourne was added for a second time last year.
Bandmates Bill Ward and Tony Iommi also expressed their grief.
Iommi, the band's guitarist, said he was 'devastated' by the news.
'It's just such heartbreaking news that I can't really find the words, there won't ever be another like him,' he wrote on Instagram.
'Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother.'
Ward, Black Sabbath's drummer, posted a photo of himself and Osbourne on X.
'Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls… no, you're forever in my heart,' he posted.
In 2020, Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery.
He had a fall at home in 2019, which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003, stopping his No More Tours 2 shows from going ahead in Europe and the UK.
The tour had previously been rescheduled several times because of illness, the Covid-19 pandemic and logistical issues.
He released his twelfth studio album, Ordinary Man, in 2020, followed by Patient Number 9 in 2022, which went to number three and two in the UK charts, respectively.
In a statement on X, Metallica said it was "impossible to put into words what Ozzy Osbourne has meant" to the group.
"Hero, icon, pioneer, inspiration, mentor, and, most of all, friend are a few that come to mind," the band wrote.
Sir Rod Stewart also paid tribute on Instagram.
'Bye, bye Ozzy. Sleep well, my friend. I'll see you up there — later rather than sooner,' he wrote.
Similarly, Nirvana thanked Osbourne "for the inspiration".
"Black Sabbath is the template for heavy rock," it wrote.
Singer Yungblud, who also performed at Villa Park on July 5, called him 'the greatest of all time'.
'I didn't think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room," he wrote.
'But as it is written with legends, they seem to know things that we don't.
"I will never forget you – you will be in every single note I sing and with me every single time I walk on stage."
Osbourne grew up in Aston, not far from Villa Park.
Aston Villa Football Club also paid tribute to the rockstar, saying he "always had a special connection to the club and the community he came from".
Osbourne rose to further fame alongside his wife Sharon – whom he married in 1982 and with whom he has three children, Aimee, Jack and Kelly – through their MTV reality TV series The Osbournes.
In 2020, Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery.
He had a fall at home in 2019, which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003, stopping his No More Tours 2 shows from going ahead in Europe and the UK.
He released his 12th studio album, Ordinary Man in 2020, followed by Patient Number 9 in 2022, which went to number three and two in the UK charts, respectively.