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The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I saw Ozzy's death coming but it still took my breath away – when giants fall it's hard to accept, says Alice Cooper
OZZY OSBOURNE and Alice Cooper – kindred spirits and fellow travellers in hard rock for nearly six decades. Both were born in 1948, on different sides of the Atlantic of course, yet with so much in common. 7 7 The black eye make-up with fingernails to match, the wild shoulder-length hair, the flamboyant gothic outfits, the showmanship, the humour, the hellraising. Oh, and the notorious incidents involving live creatures on stage — in Ozzy's case a bat, in Alice's a chicken. (Neither survived.) The rock gods both hailed from tough industrial cities, Birmingham and Detroit respectively. Maybe this is one explanation for their loud, rebellious form of escapism. On Tuesday morning, before we learned of Ozzy's sad passing aged 76, I had the chance to catch up with Alice during his arena tour of the UK. Hours later, as news filtered through that the Prince Of Darkness had left us, he took to the stage in Cardiff. His typically swashbuckling show, including a trademark mock beheading, ended with Alice announcing on behalf of his band and crew: 'God rest Ozzy.' Then he led the crowd in a thunderous chant of 'Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!' After the gig, he was able to reflect more fully on the loss of the much-loved Brummie. 'The whole world is mourning Ozzy,' he said. 'Over his long career, he earned immense respect among his peers and from fans around the world as an unmatched showman and cultural icon. Ozzy Osbourne top five greatest moments 'When we lose one of our own, it bleeds' 'I always saw Ozzy as a cross between the Prince Of Darkness, which is the persona his fans saw, and the court jester. That was the side that his family and friends saw. 'He was and will continue to be a rock 'n' roll legend. Rock 'n' roll is a family and a fraternity. When we lose one of our own, it bleeds. 'I wish I would have gotten to know my brother Ozzy better. ' Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and the rest of the Ozzy brood — our prayers are with you. 'A titanic boulder has crashed, but rock will roll on.' Well, we all know that time is going to take us rockers, but when the giants fall, it's really hard to accept. Alice Cooper on Ozzy's death In addition to his statement, Alice has revealed that he and Ozzy 'never really ran in the same circle for some reason' but their paths often crossed. He says: 'Ozzy and I did many shows together over the years. 'One of my favourite memories is when he sang with me on the song Hey Stoopid, a crowd favourite to this day and a staple of our setlist.' The idea of them singing, 'Hey-hey-hey-hey/Hey stoopid!' to each other conjures a priceless image. Now Ozzy's death further confirms what Alice is only too aware of — that his generation is not getting any younger. 'Well, we all know that time is going to take us rockers, but when the giants fall, it's really hard to accept,' adds the 77-year-old. 'Even though everybody saw it coming with Ozzy, it took our breath away when it happened. 'So Ozzy, your records and your music and your legend and all that you brought — the humour to the rock business — will live on forever. 'We're gonna miss you, man! Rest easy Ozzy, and we'll see you on the other side.' For many British schools, it was the last day of term before the summer holidays, bringing to mind his most famous song, School's Out. 'That song is still on every radio station here,' says Alice of the shouty singalong which hit No1 in the UK on August, 12, 1972, and stayed there for three weeks. He continues: 'You never know when you're going to write an anthem. An anthem is one of those songs that kids will still be singing a hundred years from now because they relate to it. 'So long as there is school, School's Out will be everybody's favourite song at the end of the year. It's the only song I've written that I was totally sure of. I said, 'If this isn't a hit, I shall be selling shoes somewhere'.' It came with the immortal chorus of, 'school's out for summer, school's out forever', and lines like, 'no more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks'. Alice admits 'it's very subversive-sounding' but that 'it's a real celebration of the last three minutes of the last day of school. For every kid, it's just joy'. This brings us to the reason I'm talking to Alice in the first place — his big reunion with the original Alice Cooper Band. Formed in Phoenix, Arizona, they released seven albums between 1969 and 1973 and School's Out, with its hit title track, was the fifth. We were a band from Phoenix that never should have made it, except that we had a spark that nobody else had. Alice on his band Among their other best-loved 'shock rock' creations were I'm Eighteen, Hello Hooray, Elected, No More Mr Nice Guy and Billion Dollar Babies. In 1974, the band split, amicably but exhausted, and the frontman began his enduring solo career with his Welcome To My Nightmare LP. Now the original line-up of Alice, Mike Bruce, Dennis Dunnaway and Neal Smith have reunited to make their first studio album together in more than 50 years. Titled The Revenge Of Alice Cooper, the album effortlessly summons the spirit of their Seventies heyday and incorporates a posthumous appearance by late guitarist Glen Buxton. Alice had met Glen and Dennis in 1963 at Cortez High School in Phoenix, after moving there from Detroit. 'Alice Cooper… a good grandmother name' He recalls: 'We were all 1,500m and 3,000m runners and when The Beatles came out, we looked at each other and went, 'Oh man, we've got to do that'. 'So we learned a couple of songs and played at parties, then it just got bigger and bigger and bigger. 7 7 'Eventually, we went to LA and Frank Zappa said to us, 'I have no idea what you guys are doing, so I'm going to sign you.' That was a great compliment. We actually confused Zappa!' (You know, one of the most zany rock musicians that ever lived.) Alice tries to put his finger on what made them successful. 'We were a band from Phoenix that never should have made it,' he decides, 'except that we had a spark that nobody else had. 'We had this little theatrical thing going and we also wanted to be America's Yardbirds,' he adds in reference to the British band that helped launch the careers of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. In 1968, the band changed their name from Nazz because it was taken by Todd Rundgren. During a brainstorming session, they tried to think of 'somebody's grandmother'. 'Who can think of a more grandmother name than Alice Cooper?' says the man who later legally morphed from Vincent Furnier into Alice Cooper. 'I said, 'It would throw everybody right off', and everybody agreed. 'We went through all these other names and we kept coming back to Alice Cooper — it just stuck.' At that time, Alice also began experimenting with face paint and developing the outlandish stage image (snakes and chickens included) that he's loved for. 'This girl came up to me and said, 'Have you ever seen this guy?' And she showed me a picture of Arthur Brown.' Brown, a Brit, is remembered for global hit Fire, for which he would don a burning helmet. Let's just say the music and performance were incendiary. Alice continues: 'We had the same make-up and I went, 'Are you kidding me?' I'd never heard of this guy but we were on the same wavelength. 'I realised I had a kindred brother in England. Arthur and I ended up as great, great friends.' He was brilliant, like the statue of David. Every girl in the world loved this guy — the tortured poet obsessed with death. Alice on Jim Morrison of The Doors He recalls early live forays in LA at Whisky A Go Go and The Cheetah Club, and thinking, until he saw them, that other acts on the bill, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, were solo artists. Then, in 1970, producer Bob Ezrin took things to the next level. Today, he's regarded as the unofficial sixth member of the band, a bit like 'fifth Beatle' George Martin. He was in charge of their breakthrough hit I'm Eighteen, giving some much-needed advice along the way. 'We kept trying to be The Yardbirds,' remembers Alice. 'And Bob kept saying, 'No, this song's about a dumb teenager, so it's got to sound like that'. 'And we were dumb teenagers, so it was pretty easy. We just dumbed it down and the simplicity was really powerful.' Now, the surviving members are all in their seventies, but you wouldn't know from the raw energy on their comeback album, The Revenge Of Alice Cooper. Anyone who has seen Alice live will probably have seen a menacing boa constrictor draped around his neck. The album begins with a song named after a snake of a different kind, Black Mamba. It features a free-flowing cameo from Robby Krieger of The Doors because, affirms Alice, 'Robby is the only guy who could have played that kind of snaky guitar part. He nailed it.' The mention of Krieger inevitably prompts one of his great rock 'n' roll tales. 'We opened for The Doors for a while,' Alice recalls. 'They were the first band to take us under their wing when we came in [to Los Angeles] from Phoenix. 'They allowed us to watch them record and we got to know them really well.' I ask Alice about The Doors' mercurial frontman Jim Morrison, who was found dead aged 27 in 1971 in a Paris apartment. The many-years-sober singer says: 'I was drinking so we got along real well. We just drank and talked and drank. 'He was brilliant, like the statue of David. Every girl in the world loved this guy — the tortured poet obsessed with death.' Alice got to witness 'Lizard King' Jim's incredible stage presence up close. 'Glen was our Keith Richards' 'He was electric, he was James Dean. He'd saunter up to the stage and take half a minute to light a cigarette. 'Then he'd sing and every girl would drop to their knees.' The new album also features a loving tribute to the Alice Cooper Band's dear departed guitarist, Glen Buxton. Called What A Syd, it brings this response from Alice: 'Glen was our Keith Richards. 'Everybody loved him but the only person I ever saw him jam with was [Pink Floyd's] Syd Barrett. 'When everyone else was slowing down rock 'n' roll-wise with what they were doing to their bodies, he just kept going. 'There was no stopping him. By 49, he looked like he was 78, 80 years old.' Finally, we return to the mischief that both Alice and Ozzy became renowned for. 'There's a lot of humour on this album,' he says. 'I can't help it, that's just the way I write. 'Everybody's telling the most important song is Blood On The Sun. They say it's poetic, it flows, it makes your mind go, 'Oh my gosh!' 'What are they talking about? Every single line in that song is a movie title. It sounds important but it's not at all!' So that explains him singing 'Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder' (1982 war movie), 'From Dusk Till Dawn' (1996 horror film) and so on. Surely Alice's fellow eternal prankster Ozzy would approve! 7 7
BreakingNews.ie
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Ozzy Osbourne: From factory worker to music's Prince of Darkness
A behemoth among the monsters of rock music, Ozzy Osbourne will be best remembered for his showmanship and unique sound. As frontman of Black Sabbath, he was at the forefront of the heavy metal scene – a deeper, darker offshoot of hard rock. Advertisement His theatrical stage presence – including once biting off the head of a bat – and styling himself as the Prince of Darkness marked him out as a controversial figure. Band break-ups fuelled by disputes with fellow members and drug abuse and a well-documented battle with alcoholism cemented that reputation. Ozzy Osbourne in concert at Wembley Arena in 2007 (Clara Molden/PA) He was also among the vanguard of now-ubiquitous modern reality TV stars, appearing with his family in the hit MTV show The Osbournes. Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3rd 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs including factory work before teaming up with school friend Geezer Butler in several bands. Advertisement The pair then linked up with the other founder members of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, to form what was then called Earth Blues Company – later shortened to Earth – in 1968. Initially a Mod who loved soul music, according to his biography on the band's official website, Osbourne crafted his darker image after writing lyrics for a song entitled Black Sabbath after the 1963 Boris Karloff film of the same name. The name stuck – after they were forced to change it from Earth – and the band went on to sell millions of records over the next decade on the back of sound-defining tracks including Paranoid and War Pigs. A product of their working-class roots and the post-Vietnam War era, the band tackled themes of war, social chaos and the supernatural. Advertisement But drug use began to take its toll on Osbourne and his relationship with his fellow band members, and he was eventually fired in 1979. Black Sabbath pictured in 2005 (Ian West/PA) He launched a solo career, enjoying success during the 1980s, before reforming with Sabbath several times – including in 2016 for a final world tour. As a group, Black Sabbath are widely credited with defining and popularising the sound of heavy metal. As a solo artist, Osbourne released 11 albums, with his debut Blizzard Of Ozz issued in 1980, which featured two of his most revered songs, Crazy Train and Mr Crowley. Advertisement The Birmingham-born singer sold more than 100 million records worldwide with Black Sabbath and as a solo artist. In 2014, he was presented with a global icon award at the MTV Europe Music Awards. 'It's taken us 57 years to get to the Villa, we made it. Back to the Beginning.' - Ozzy Osbourne — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 4, 2025 Osbourne married his first wife Thelma Riley in 1971 and became a stepfather to her son. The couple also had two children but split in 1982 after, he admitted, his rock 'n roll lifestyle meant he put her 'through hell'. Advertisement He married Sharon, the daughter of his former Black Sabbath manager Don Arden, in July of that year. The pair had met in the 1970s via her father and she took over managing Osbourne after he was booted from the heavy metal group. Ozzy and Sharon had three children together: Jack, Kelly and Aimee. The couple became an unlikely hit after starring between 2002 and 2005 in The Osbournes, which also launched the careers of Jack and Kelly, but the pair temporarily split in 2016. Former X Factor judge Sharon later revealed they had tried marriage counselling to get their relationship back on track – but gave up because it made him angry. In 2017, during an interview with music magazine Rolling Stone, he joked that the secret to his marriage was 'don't get caught with your mistress'. He is quoted as telling Rolling Stone: 'When I was a crazy f*****, I'm lucky she didn't walk out. Now I'm coming on five years clean and sober, and I've realised what a f****** idiot I was. I mean, I'm still nuts, but in control of it a bit more.' Osbourne added: 'When I said, 'Don't get caught by your missus,' I'm not proud of all that s***. I upset my wife and I upset my family and I made a lot of shock and shame. I love my wife, and it made me realise what a f****** idiot I've been.' He also told the magazine he had taken up painting to relax and that he was 'obsessed with Game Of Thrones', the TV series based on George RR Martin's books. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne in 2018 (Ian West/PA) In 2016, he revealed he was undergoing 'intense therapy' for a 'sex addiction' that nearly resulted in the disintegration of his marriage but he later told The Times he was not a sex addict, saying: 'I'm in a f****** rock band, aren't I?' In 2017, he and Sharon renewed their wedding vows in Las Vegas. Osbourne has also been a firm supporter of the health service, having been treated by NHS staff in 2003 after a near-fatal accident at his Buckinghamshire home left him with a fractured neck vertebra, fractured ribs and a broken collarbone. The singer often hit the headlines for his off-the-wall comments, like his quip about Brexit to the Big Issue magazine in 2018. 'People keep going on at me about that – is it a big deal over there?' he asked in an interview with the publication. He added: 'I don't read the newspapers and I don't really talk politics because I don't really know. I don't really understand Brexit.' In his later years Osbourne attempted to press on with his rock career, but was hampered several times by illness and injury. In early February 2019, Sharon revealed he had been admitted to hospital after suffering from flu. She said her husband had experienced 'complications' from the illness and doctors advised him to go to hospital. Sharon tweeted: 'As some of you may have heard, Ozzy was admitted to hospital following some complications from the flu. 'His doctors feel this is the best way to get him on a quicker road to recovery. Thanks to everyone for their concern and love.' The illness led to him cancelling a string of tour dates while he recovered, including postponing the UK and European legs of his No More Tours 2. Kelly, Ozzy, Sharon and Jack Osbourne in 2015 (Ian West/PA) A tweet from his official account said planned performances in Australia, New Zealand and Japan had also been axed. In October 2018, he insisted he was not retiring, telling Rolling Stone: 'In essence, what I'm trying to do is slow my lifestyle down to a more comfortable way of living.' But within months he was forced to postpone another string of tour dates – including a show at the famous Hollywood Bowl – after suffering a fall at his Los Angeles home in April 2019. In November 2019, he returned to the stage for a one-song performance at the American Music Awards alongside rappers Post Malone and Travis Scott. The trio performed the song Take What You Want, from Malone's album Hollywood's Bleeding, although Osbourne spent most of the performance sat immobile in a gothic-style throne towards the back of the stage. Another blow came in January 2020 when the singer revealed on US television that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which was discovered by doctors after a fall. Sharon, who was at his side during the Good Morning America interview, said the diagnosis was 'not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination'. She added: 'But it does affect certain nerves in your body. And it's like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day.' The musician was revealed to have a rare form of the disease called Parkin 2, which he had since birth. In May 2022 Sharon shared the news that Ozzy had tested positive for Covid, and just days later she too tested positive. In August that year he made a surprise appearance onstage in his home city of Birmingham to close out the 2022 Commonwealth Games, backed by Black Sabbath as fireworks lit up the sky. But early in 2023 he announced via a lengthy statement on social media that following extensive spinal surgery he was not 'physically capable' of doing his tour dates in Europe and the UK. He said his singing voice was fine but that, following three operations, stem cell treatments, physical therapy sessions and more, his body was 'still weak'. Osbourne was scheduled to return to the stage in October 2023 at the Power Trip music festival in Indio, California, alongside other rock powerhouses including Metallica, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Guns N' Roses. However in July he once again was forced to bow out, saying he had been 'optimistic' about a summer return but did not want the show to be 'half-assed'. Sharon & my sister Jean unveiling Ozzy the Bull in Birmingham New Street Station this week 🐂 — Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) July 29, 2023 Meanwhile, an unusual tribute to Osbourne was installed at New Street Station in his home city. Ozzy the bull, the 10-metre (32ft) creation which featured in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was moved to the railway station after a public vote to name it after the Black Sabbath rocker. His wife, and sister Jean, were on hand to witness the unveiling, with Sharon saying: 'For Ozzy, to be born and bred here and having spent so much time in this station because he didn't have a car so he was everywhere from New Street. He never, ever, ever would have thought that at this time in his life this would happen.' Osbourne did not return to touring in 2024, but was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for a second time, one of the few to be given the honour. He also took aim at US rapper Kanye West that same year, for sampling a Black Sabbath song after being refused permission, and Osbourne referred to his remarks about Jewish people. Osbourne said on social media he did not want to be associated with West as he has brought 'untold heartache to many'. — Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) July 21, 2025 He bid farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion in his final live performance earlier this month. The legendary rocker told thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5 that it was 'so good to be on this stage' as he performed his last set from a large black throne. Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members – Iommi, Butler and Ward – were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert. Among the bands performing were Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N'Roses, and there were messages of thanks from other celebrities, including Jack Black, Ricky Gervais and Dolly Parton. In an emotional moment, Osbourne said: 'I don't know what to say, man, I've been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ozzy Osbourne: From factory worker to music's Prince of Darkness
A behemoth among the monsters of rock music, Ozzy Osbourne will be best remembered for his showmanship and unique sound. As frontman of Black Sabbath, he was at the forefront of the heavy metal scene – a deeper, darker offshoot of hard rock. His theatrical stage presence – including once biting off the head of a bat – and styling himself as the Prince of Darkness marked him out as a controversial figure. Band break-ups fuelled by disputes with fellow members and drug abuse and a well-documented battle with alcoholism cemented that reputation. Ozzy Osbourne in concert at Wembley Arena in 2007 (Clara Molden/PA) He was also among the vanguard of now-ubiquitous modern reality TV stars, appearing with his family in the hit MTV show The Osbournes. ADVERTISEMENT Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs including factory work before teaming up with school friend Geezer Butler in several bands. The pair then linked up with the other founder members of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, to form what was then called Earth Blues Company – later shortened to Earth – in 1968. Initially a Mod who loved soul music, according to his biography on the band's official website, Osbourne crafted his darker image after writing lyrics for a song entitled Black Sabbath after the 1963 Boris Karloff film of the same name. The name stuck – after they were forced to change it from Earth – and the band went on to sell millions of records over the next decade on the back of sound-defining tracks including Paranoid and War Pigs. A product of their working-class roots and the post-Vietnam War era, the band tackled themes of war, social chaos and the supernatural. ADVERTISEMENT But drug use began to take its toll on Osbourne and his relationship with his fellow band members, and he was eventually fired in 1979. Black Sabbath pictured in 2005 (Ian West/PA) He launched a solo career, enjoying success during the 1980s, before reforming with Sabbath several times – including in 2016 for a final world tour. As a group, Black Sabbath are widely credited with defining and popularising the sound of heavy metal. As a solo artist, Osbourne released 11 albums, with his debut Blizzard Of Ozz issued in 1980, which featured two of his most revered songs, Crazy Train and Mr Crowley. The Birmingham-born singer sold more than 100 million records worldwide with Black Sabbath and as a solo artist. In 2014, he was presented with a global icon award at the MTV Europe Music Awards. 'It's taken us 57 years to get to the Villa, we made it. Back to the Beginning.' – Ozzy Osbourne — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 4, 2025 Osbourne married his first wife Thelma Riley in 1971 and became a stepfather to her son. ADVERTISEMENT The couple also had two children but split in 1982 after, he admitted, his rock 'n roll lifestyle meant he put her 'through hell'. He married Sharon, the daughter of his former Black Sabbath manager Don Arden, in July of that year. The pair had met in the 1970s via her father and she took over managing Osbourne after he was booted from the heavy metal group. Ozzy and Sharon had three children together: Jack, Kelly and Aimee. The couple became an unlikely hit after starring between 2002 and 2005 in The Osbournes, which also launched the careers of Jack and Kelly, but the pair temporarily split in 2016. Former X Factor judge Sharon later revealed they had tried marriage counselling to get their relationship back on track – but gave up because it made him angry. In 2017, during an interview with music magazine Rolling Stone, he joked that the secret to his marriage was 'don't get caught with your mistress'. ADVERTISEMENT He is quoted as telling Rolling Stone: 'When I was a crazy f*****, I'm lucky she didn't walk out. Now I'm coming on five years clean and sober, and I've realised what a f****** idiot I was. I mean, I'm still nuts, but in control of it a bit more.' Osbourne added: 'When I said, 'Don't get caught by your missus,' I'm not proud of all that s***. I upset my wife and I upset my family and I made a lot of shock and shame. I love my wife, and it made me realise what a f****** idiot I've been.' He also told the magazine he had taken up painting to relax and that he was 'obsessed with Game Of Thrones', the TV series based on George RR Martin's books. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne in 2018 (Ian West/PA) In 2016, he revealed he was undergoing 'intense therapy' for a 'sex addiction' that nearly resulted in the disintegration of his marriage but he later told The Times he was not a sex addict, saying: 'I'm in a f****** rock band, aren't I?' In 2017, he and Sharon renewed their wedding vows in Las Vegas. Osbourne has also been a firm supporter of the health service, having been treated by NHS staff in 2003 after a near-fatal accident at his Buckinghamshire home left him with a fractured neck vertebra, fractured ribs and a broken collarbone. The singer often hit the headlines for his off-the-wall comments, like his quip about Brexit to the Big Issue magazine in 2018. 'People keep going on at me about that – is it a big deal over there?' he asked in an interview with the publication. He added: 'I don't read the newspapers and I don't really talk politics because I don't really know. I don't really understand Brexit.' In his later years Osbourne attempted to press on with his rock career, but was hampered several times by illness and injury. In early February 2019, Sharon revealed he had been admitted to hospital after suffering from flu. She said her husband had experienced 'complications' from the illness and doctors advised him to go to hospital. Sharon tweeted: 'As some of you may have heard, Ozzy was admitted to hospital following some complications from the flu. 'His doctors feel this is the best way to get him on a quicker road to recovery. Thanks to everyone for their concern and love.' The illness led to him cancelling a string of tour dates while he recovered, including postponing the UK and European legs of his No More Tours 2. Kelly, Ozzy, Sharon and Jack Osbourne in 2015 (Ian West/PA) A tweet from his official account said planned performances in Australia, New Zealand and Japan had also been axed. In October 2018, he insisted he was not retiring, telling Rolling Stone: 'In essence, what I'm trying to do is slow my lifestyle down to a more comfortable way of living.' But within months he was forced to postpone another string of tour dates – including a show at the famous Hollywood Bowl – after suffering a fall at his Los Angeles home in April 2019. In November 2019, he returned to the stage for a one-song performance at the American Music Awards alongside rappers Post Malone and Travis Scott. The trio performed the song Take What You Want, from Malone's album Hollywood's Bleeding, although Osbourne spent most of the performance sat immobile in a gothic-style throne towards the back of the stage. Another blow came in January 2020 when the singer revealed on US television that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which was discovered by doctors after a fall. Sharon, who was at his side during the Good Morning America interview, said the diagnosis was 'not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination'. She added: 'But it does affect certain nerves in your body. And it's like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day.' The musician was revealed to have a rare form of the disease called Parkin 2, which he had since birth. In May 2022 Sharon shared the news that Ozzy had tested positive for Covid, and just days later she too tested positive. In August that year he made a surprise appearance onstage in his home city of Birmingham to close out the 2022 Commonwealth Games, backed by Black Sabbath as fireworks lit up the sky. But early in 2023 he announced via a lengthy statement on social media that following extensive spinal surgery he was not 'physically capable' of doing his tour dates in Europe and the UK. He said his singing voice was fine but that, following three operations, stem cell treatments, physical therapy sessions and more, his body was 'still weak'. Osbourne was scheduled to return to the stage in October 2023 at the Power Trip music festival in Indio, California, alongside other rock powerhouses including Metallica, AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Guns N' Roses. However in July he once again was forced to bow out, saying he had been 'optimistic' about a summer return but did not want the show to be 'half-assed'. Sharon & my sister Jean unveiling Ozzy the Bull in Birmingham New Street Station this week 🐂 — Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) July 29, 2023 Meanwhile, an unusual tribute to Osbourne was installed at New Street Station in his home city. Ozzy the bull, the 10-metre (32ft) creation which featured in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was moved to the railway station after a public vote to name it after the Black Sabbath rocker. His wife, and sister Jean, were on hand to witness the unveiling, with Sharon saying: 'For Ozzy, to be born and bred here and having spent so much time in this station because he didn't have a car so he was everywhere from New Street. He never, ever, ever would have thought that at this time in his life this would happen.' Osbourne did not return to touring in 2024, but was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for a second time, one of the few to be given the honour. He also took aim at US rapper Kanye West that same year, for sampling a Black Sabbath song after being refused permission, and Osbourne referred to his remarks about Jewish people. Osbourne said on social media he did not want to be associated with West as he has brought 'untold heartache to many'. He bid farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion in his final live performance earlier this month. The legendary rocker told thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5 that it was 'so good to be on this stage' as he performed his last set from a large black throne. Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members – Iommi, Butler and Ward – were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert. Among the bands performing were Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N'Roses, and there were messages of thanks from other celebrities, including Jack Black, Ricky Gervais and Dolly Parton. In an emotional moment, Osbourne said: 'I don't know what to say, man, I've been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.'
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beyonce Almost Gets Dumped Out Of Her Convertible Cadillac
Read the full story on Backfire News Pop singer Beyonce had a close call in her convertible classic Cadillac during one of her concerts this summer, almost falling out. While tumbling out of your droptop vehicle is never a good thing, this one was 'flying' over the crowd at the time, so that would've been even part of her Cowboy Carter tour, Beyonce was using the classic Caddie suspended by cables to 'fly' over her adoring fans while singing the single 16 Carriage. She knows how to put on a spectacle, but while performing in Houston, Texas something malfunctioned and the vehicle tipped wildly to one side. We came so close to losing Beyonce, which would've been just so tragic. At least she would've passed doing what she loves most. Footage taken by countless fans at the concert shows the singer say over the microphone, 'stop, stop, stop!' firmly, signaling to her crew to stop the flying and let the car that's listing to one side go back down to the stage and safety. She then got out and was all smiles, saying, 'If I'd fallen, y'all would catch me.' The crowd cheers and some fans say, 'exactly, exactly.' Other fans on social media reiterated that's exactly what they would've done. We actually believe they would and the situation wouldn't have been pretty. Apparently, the whole point of the flying Cadillac was for the singer to get closer to her fans. We think it was also about thrilling the crowd with showmanship. But after the one incident, it was ditched. Now Beyonce is soaring over her fans on a golden robotic horse while singing 16 Carriages. She could have opted for a golden calf, but we guess the horse fit better with the cowboy motif she's using for a short while before switching to opera or maybe bluegrass, with a heavy helping of pop music, naturally. Image via CowboyCarterWT/X
