Heavy metal legend: “Prince of Darkness”: Ozzy Osbourne is dead

Ozzy Osbourne was still able to fulfill his big dream. At the beginning of the month he had his fans celebrate again. However, the legendary heavy metal singer only completed the last big step at the farewell concert in his hometown Birmingham. With the last strength he sang classic like “Paranoid”, “Iron Man” or “Crazy Train”.

A few weeks later, the singer, who is also considered a “Godfather of Heavy Metal” (godfather of the heavy metal), died at the age of 76. “With more grief than could express than words, we have to say that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne died this morning,” said his family.

Stylish music, sensational scandals

Like hardly any other singer, Ozzy Osbourne shaped the world of hard rock and heavy metal – with his music, but also with scandals. So in January 1982 he bit his head at one of his concerts of a bat on stage. He had thought it was a toy. After all, fans threw things on stage from time to time during his “Diary of a Madman” tour. Only when he had bitten did Osbourne realize that the animal was real.

Grotesque incidents such as this disgusting moment at an upring in the Moines/Iowa, after which Osbourne was taken directly to the hospital, brought him the call as a “Prince of Darkness” (prince of darkness). But you will remember it primarily as an extraordinary front man and as a cult figure of rock music.

Heavy health problems for years

In recent years, the legendary musician, who was called John Michael Osbourne, has had to fight with health problems. In 2019 Parkinson’s was diagnosed. At that time he was combative. “This is not the end of Ozzy Osbourne, I promise you that,” he told Guardian at the time. At the same time, he reported depression.

On top of that, after a fall in his house, he suffered from back problems and other complaints, which could not be fully remedied by several operations. “You think you raise your foot, but it doesn’t move,” said Osbourne. Already in 2003 he had broken a cervical vertebra and several ribs in an accident with a quad bike.

Heavy metal pioneer full of energy

Ozzy Osbourne became known as an energetic lead singer of Black Sabbath. The influential heavy metal band was founded in Birmingham in 1968. There he was born on December 3, 1948 in a workers’ district.

He grew up in simple conditions, was bad at school and was teased by classmates because of his reading and spelling weakness. The music was his refuge – and became his calling.

When Black Sabbath’s debut album appeared in 1970, music critics knew little about it. The dark, heavy sound, the hard guitar riffs and the cynical texts were new territory. But the stylish work became a commercial success.

Just half a year later, “Paranoid” followed, which contained other heavy metal milestones in addition to the hiding in the same name. “Was Pigs”, “Iron Man” or “Fairies Wear Boots”, even over 50 years later, lost their huge energy.

Throwing performance, unpredictable behavior

Osbournes striking, nasal voice was the formative element of music next to the dark guitar sound by Tony Iommi. In addition to the more introverted lead guitarist and the almost stoic bassist Geezer Butler, the singer acted on stage like an insane.

But the singer was not only famous for his thrilling appearances, but also for his unpredictable behavior. His excessive alcohol and drug use was out of control in the 70s. That’s why he even flew out at Black Sabbath in 1979.

Rescue and solo career thanks to Sharon

Osbourne then fell into a deep crisis and stunned his frustration with even more drugs and alcohol. It would have been an end if Sharon Arden hadn’t taken care of him. The daughter of the then Black Sabbath manager Don Arden convinced him to start a solo career and helped him recruit the staff. In 1982 the two married.

The young exceptional guitarist Randy Rhoads played a significant part in the fact that Osbourne’s solo albums “Blizzard of Ozz” (1980) and “Diary of a Madman” (1981) became world successes. Rhoads’ Spectacular Guitar play on the single “Crazy Train” is legendary. “I owe my career to him,” Osbourne told the “Rolling Stone”.

Religious protests and the thing with the bat

The wild appearance, the game with the provocation and with horror elements, delighted the fans, but screamed conservative and religious groups, especially in the USA. They accused him of being a satanist and protested against him. “I am not a devil worshiper. I have never had anything to do with black magic,” he said.

The bat incident showed that some fans also took his show too seriously. However, Ozzy Osbourne had bitten his head in the drug rush a year earlier at a PR date of a pigeon – one of many bizarre scandals. “I was damn crazy again when I did all of this shit,” admitted the Briton 2020 in the “NME” interview. “I was totally sensitive.”

Great success, blows of fate and a TV show

In 1982 Randy Roads died during the tour during a plane crash. It took years until he wounded the tragic misfortune and loss, Osbourne later told. However, his career continued successfully. He published a total of 13 studio albums as a solo artist. His last, “Patient Number 9”, appeared in 2022 and gave him a Grammy.

In addition to the musical career, the reality -soap opera “The Osbournes” finally made him a cult figure – long before the Kardashians. In the bizarre MTV series – or staged – he showed himself as an eccentric but loving father, who is often overwhelmed with simple things in life. Three children emerged from his marriage to Sharon, including singer Kelly Osbourne. Two children come from his first marriage.

Black-Sabbath reunion and demolition of the farewell tour

With Black Sabbath, he later stood on stage again and again and released other albums. In 2017, the band said goodbye for the first time with the big “The End” tour. A year later, Osbourne began his solo partial tour, which was demolished prematurely due to his health problems.

Osbourne activated for the farewell concert in Birmingham, which was included in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” in Cleveland (Ohio) in 2024, apparently his last strength reserves. Sitting on a throne, he sang only a few songs, his voice was drawn. But he tore the audience with as in his best times. Ozzy Osbourne was a real unique piece in every respect.