Latest news with #Ozzy Osbourne
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Judas Priest review – thrash, hellfire, dazzling guitar … Ozzy would have loved it
The day before this gig was the saddest in heavy metal history. With the death of Ozzy Osbourne, the genre lost its irrepressible everyman Prince of Darkness, and all the warmth, charm and folly that made him relatable to so many. But with this 35th anniversary tour for their Painkiller album, Judas Priest provide some therapy. For years, the band have used Black Sabbath's War Pigs as a walk-on song and the moment the tape kicks in, an impassioned and cathartic mass singalong sweeps across the amphitheatre. Any sense that this might be a sombre do is squashed in seconds. 'Hello, metal maniacs!' says singer Rob Halford, wearing a bedazzled leather trenchcoat and aviator sunglasses. Priest are a one-off who helped define metal's image as well as its sound, going all in on the most exaggerated parts – the denim, leather, studs and no shortage of demonic motifs – while retaining street cred for more than 50 years. With the anthemic recent song Gates of Hell, eternal damnation has never sounded so inviting. The Serpent and the King – another from last year's Invincible Shield album – is also exhilarating: a full-on burst of thrash driven by Scott Travis's impeccable double-bass drum style. On the likes of Hell Patrol, the septuagenarian Halford can still nail the inexplicable, guttural shrieks. Guitarist Richie Faulkner came close to death in 2021 after a severe aortic rupture on stage: he survived 10 hours of emergency open-heart surgery where parts of his chest were replaced with mechanical components. With gurns aplenty, Halford admires one of Faulkner's dazzling lead breaks on One Shot at Glory, hovering his tattooed head around the fretboard. 'It's been tough, the last 24-hours, but he would want us to be together doing this, having a good time. We love you, Ozzy,' Halford says to huge cheers, introducing Giants in the Sky. This is their ode to rock's fallen greats, as the faces of Lemmy, Chris Cornell, Christine McVie, and now Ozzy – among others – are flashed on screen to a soundtrack of hefty riffs. That Judas Priest are not only performing at an admirable level but still making stellar new music in their sixth decade, further cements their place alongside Sabbath on the Mount Rushmore of metal gods.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How Ozzy Osbourne was inspired by Paul McCartney until his final days: Black Sabbath star shared hopes of 'dream' collaboration with Beatles star weeks before his death and asked for band's track to be played at his funeral
Given he was part of one of heavy metal's biggest bands, it's no surprise that Ozzy Osbourne would be the inspiration for many music stars. But the rocker himself had previously shared a more unlikely name as one of his idols, in the form of iconic Beatles hitmaker Sir Paul McCartney. The pair first met and posed for a photo together in 2001, and joined a slew of stars on-stage for The Queen's Golden Jubilee concert the following year. But Ozzy, who died on Tuesday at the age of 76, shared how The Beatles were his inspiration for launching a music career, and as recently as last month, he said Paul, 83, would be his 'dream' collaboration. Despite their vastly different music styles, Ozzy said that hearing one of The Beatles' songs that helped him decide 'what he wanted to do with his life.' Speaking in an interview for Homes for Children's End The Silence charity campaign in 2017, Ozzy said the moment came while listening to The Beatles' 1962 hit She Loves You. He said: 'I remember exactly where I was walking down a road called Whitten Road in Aston. I had a blue transistor radio, and when [She Loves You] came on, I knew from then on what I wanted to do in my life.' Ozzy also covered The Beatles' 1965 track In My Life in his 2005 album Prince Of Darkness. He and Paul finally met for the first time in 2001 while backstage at the Howard Stern show, with Ozzy rushing to embrace him before admitting it was a 'lifetime ambition' to meet him. The moment was captured in Paul's documentary The Love We Make, which depicted his journey through a recovering New York in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In a clip from the sweet moment, Ozzy told Paul: 'It's great to meet you man, it's been a lifetime ambition of mine, you guys made me start music.' Ozzy later recalled the meeting on The Osbournes podcast, where he said: 'I'm a big Beatles fan and when I first met Paul McCartney, it was like meeting Jesus Christ. And he was a very nice man, a very nice man.' The pair then met again in 2008 when Ozzy and Sharon hosted the Brit Awards, together and Paul performed during the ceremony, and he described it as 'the most special' experience. Ozzy later revealed a kind gesture from Paul when he won a Grammy award, sharing the 'very, very special' moment he followed him up on stage to congratulate him. As recently as last month, Ozzy had shared his hopes of collaborating with Sir Paul McCartney on a track. He previously tried to get Paul to record a bass part on the heavy metal band's track, which he declined. Appearing on his SiriusXM show Ozzy Speaks, the singer revealed he still dreamt about being on a song with the Let It Be hitmaker. When asked by co-host Billy Morrison who he'd like to duet with, to which he replied: 'Paul McCartney.' But Ozzy quickly added: 'I would be honoured but I couldn't…' The singer has previously spoken about the iconic band from Liverpool being a huge influence on him since he was a young man. He once told Heat magazine of their failed collaboration: 'Meeting Paul McCartney was f****** phenomenal. 'I was in the studio at the same time as him and tried to get him to play bass on one of my songs. 'But he said he couldn't improve on the bassline that was there. I said, 'Are you kidding? You could p*** on the record and I'd make it my life.'' When asked about his funeral song, Ozzy insisted he would want a Beatles number being played rather than any of his own music on the day. 'I really need a few more years to think this over, but probably something from 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band or Revolver,' he told NME in 2016. 'I definitely don't want my f**king greatest hits album - I never ever play that thing, I'm f**king embarrassed about it. And I definitely don't want a f**king happy song - I'm dead.' Ozzy, nicknamed the Prince of Darkness, died on Tuesday at the age of 76 just weeks after he took to the stage for his final show with Black Sabbath, with his family confirming the devastating news. MailOnline revealed yesterday that an air ambulance was called to Osbourne's grand country home as paramedics battled to save his life for two hours. Friends told the Mail's Alison Boshoff that his heartbroken wife Sharon may now bury Ozzy in the gardens of the 350-acre estate in an intimate family funeral, as she is 'too frail' to go through a larger, public service, leaving friends 'terrified' for her. Ozzy took to the stage for his farewell concert at Villa Park Stadium in his native Birmingham less than three weeks before his death. The rocker reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the first time since 2005 to bid an emotional farewell to his decades of performing live on stage. After selling out in minutes, over 42,000 fans packed into Villa Park for the aptly-titled Back to the Beginning show, which saw Ozzy and Black Sabbath return to their hometown - 56 years after they formed there. The final photograph of him before his death was taken on stage as he sat on a black throne aptly decorated with a bat to perform his best-known hits for his loyal fans. His final words on stage were: 'It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.' A message on screen then read: 'Thank you for everything, you guys are f***ing amazing. Birmingham Forever,' before the sky lit up with fireworks.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne Had Decades-Long Assisted Suicide Pact
Sharon Osbourne's declaration that she and husband Ozzy Osbourne had a suicide pact is receiving new interest after the legendary rocker's death on Tuesday morning at age 76. The Osbourne matriarch first revealed the 'plan' in her 2007 memoir Survivor: My Story—The Next Chapter, as she expressed her fear of contracting dementia as her own father had. 'If this disease is to be my fate, I don't want to repeat history and go through what my father has gone through,' she wrote then. 'I've discussed it with my family and we have a plan in place. My kids would take me to Switzerland where euthanasia is legal, and you can die with dignity.' Sharon Osbourne confirmed the plan later that year to The Mirror, telling the site that she and her husband 'have drawn up plans to go to the assisted suicide flat in Switzerland if we ever have an illness that affects our brains.' She explained, 'If Ozzy or I ever got Alzheimer's, that's it—we'd be off. We gathered the kids around the kitchen table, told them our wishes and they've all agreed to go with it.' Ozzy Osbourne revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, which limited his mobility over time and required several surgeries to his spine. A cause of death was not given when his family announced he had died on Tuesday. But one Osbourne offspring, Kelly Osbourne, insists that there's no there 'there' when it comes to her parents' so-called pact. Earlier this month, she clapped back at social media commenters who insisted that the Osbourne patriarch was dying. 'My dad's not dying. Stop,' she wrote to her Instagram Stories at the time per E! News. She added, 'Stop making articles or posts about how you think my parents are having a suicide pact. That was bulls--t my mom said to get attention one time.' But when Kelly's brother Jack asked their parents whether euthanasia was 'still a plan' for them during a 2023 episode of The Osbournes Podcast, both remained unmoved about their pact. 'Do you think that we're gonna suffer' instead?' Sharon Osbourne replied. 'Mental suffering is enough pain without physical. So if you've got mental and physical, see ya.' Even then Kelly pushed back, asking, 'But what if you could survive?' Her mother replied, 'Yeah, what if you survived and you can't wipe your own a--, you're p---ing everywhere, s--tting, can't eat.' And yet, Ozzy Osbourne was resolute that he would pursue physician-assisted suicide for any 'life-threatening condition' as recently as 2014. 'If I can't live my life the way I'm living it now, and I don't mean financially,' then, 'that's it,' he told The Mirror, indicating he'd be headed to Switzerland. 'If I can't get up and go to the bathroom myself and I've got tubes up my ass and an enema in my throat, then I've said to Sharon, 'Just turn the machine off.' If I had a stroke and was paralyzed, I don't want to be here. I've made a will and it's all going to Sharon if I die before her, so ultimately it will all go to the kids.' If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Oxfordshire air ambulance medics 'spent hours' trying to save Ozzy Osbourne
Oxfordshire air ambulance medics spent two hours trying to save Ozzy Osbourne's life at his multi-million-pound country home, according to national reports. The Thames Valley air ambulance landed in a field close to Welders House, the Black Sabbath singer's Grade II listed country mansion on Tuesday morning at around 10.30am, reports MailOnline. It is believed that calls from Welders House had led call handlers to believe that Mr Osbourne's life was uncertain. A helicopter was dispatched from Thames Valley ambulance base at RAF Benson in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, about 27 miles from the mansion which is situated close to the village of Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire. READ MORE: Range Rover driver, 75, killed in crash with recovery truck named According to MailOnline, crew were airborne for around 15 minutes before landing in the grounds of the mansion and were then with Mr Osbourne for around two hours, trying but failing to save his life, it's understood. This news is the first insight into the finer details of the singer's death. His death was announced by his family on Tuesday night in a statement which read: "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." Locals in the village of Jordans, which adjoins Mr Osbourne's home told MailOnline that they realised 'something serious' was taking place when they heard a helicopter hovering above Welders and then saw it land nearby. Locals also told MailOnline that after seeing it land, they saw it take off again and fly over Jordans at around 12.30pm. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Air Ambulance told MailOnline: 'We can confirm that our helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfont St Giles yesterday. Mr Osbourne's 125-year-old country pile is surrounded by a 350-acre estate which he and Sharon Osbourne bought in the summer of 1993 for an undisclosed sum. READ MORE: Red Arrows to fly over Oxfordshire this week - here's where and when to see them Lord mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal, said Mr Osbourne was a 'proud Brummie' who helped to put the city 'on the world map'. Mr Iqbal met the founding members of the heavy metal band – formed in the city in 1968 – when they were presented with the freedom of Birmingham in June. He said: 'He (Osbourne) was very important and he was a proud Brummie. He loved the city. He will be much missed, I think, and he was loved by so many people in the city. 'I think he put Birmingham, and especially Aston, on the world map. He's done so much for the city and we honoured him with the freedom of the city as well, which we were grateful that he came (to) and received about six weeks ago.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Air ambulance was called out to Ozzy Osbourne's mansion before his death
An air ambulance was called to Ozzy Osbourne's mansion in the hours before his death. The Black Sabbath legend passed away aged 76 on Tuesday (22.07.25) and it has been revealed that an aircraft was dispatched to his country property in Buckinghamshire as call handlers believed that the rocker's life was at risk. The helicopter crew are said to have spent around two hours with Ozzy - who had suffered from Parkinson's disease for several years - as they battled in vain to save his life. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Air Ambulance told MailOnline: "We can confirm that our helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfont St Giles yesterday." An unnamed resident added to the outlet: "I went out to have a look and saw that it was landing close to Ozzy's house. "All of us were talking about it and wondering what had happened. We immediately feared it may be for him as he was known to be in fragile health. "When we heard later that night that he had died it confirmed our worst fears." The Paranoid hitmaker's death was announced by his family in a statement on Tuesday night. It read: "It is with more sadness that 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." Ozzy's passing comes a little over two weeks after he reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for the epic Back to the Beginning farewell gig at Villa Park in Birmingham and his sister Jean Powell has revealed that the news came a "shock" to her despite his "frail" health. She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "He was frail but [his death] still came as a shock. He still had plans and things he wanted to do. "We don't know the details of his death, it's still too early. It's just so sad. I'm just thankful he died in England." Jean admits that she has been stunned by the "outpouring of love" for Ozzy from fans and fellow music stars in the wake of the sad news. She added: "We just can't believe he is gone and we won't be getting another phone call or text from him. "Every week without fail he would get in touch, either by phone or text, to ask how we were all doing and what was going on."
