Ozzy Osbourne: The biggest scandals of the “Prince of Darkness”

The music world mourns the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, who died at the age of 76. With his death, the skirt loses one of his most dazzling characters – a man who not only invented the heavy metal, but also redefined the limits of good taste. His scandals were just as legendary as his music and sustainably shaped the image of the eccentric rock star.

One of the most bizarre moments in Osbourne’s career occurred in March 1981 at a meeting with his record company CBS. What was planned as a conventional date for contract negotiations ended in chaos: drunk and frustrated by the situation of a living pigeon in front of the horrified eyes of the bosses. Originally, he was supposed to fly the birds as a symbolic gesture. Instead, he was immediately referred to the building, while the bizarre incident quickly made the round and already cemented his reputation as a “Prince of Darkness”. By the way: The contract between CBS and Ozzy was nevertheless concluded.

A similar incident of January 20, 1982 in the Moines in the US state of Iowa became even more notorious. During a concert, Osbourne bit off a living bat – assuming that it was a rubber toy that had thrown a fan on the stage. Since he and his band became aware that the animal was real, the rocker had to go to the hospital, where he was given rabies vaccinations as a precaution. The macabre incident made it to the headlines worldwide and became one of the most famous rock ‘n’ roll anecdotes of all time.

Just a month later, Osbourne again caused outrage. In February 1982 he was arrested in San Antonio in the US state of Texas, drunk and wrapped in a women’s dress, he was urgent to the Alamo war memorial. This act was considered serious disrespect against the sacred place for Texan and caused broad outrage on site. The city not only imposed a ban on performance, but even a ten -year entry ban against him, which was only lifted in 1992 after a public apology and a donation.

The stories about Osbourne’s excesses knew no limits. In 1984 he supposedly snuffed a line of living ants from the ground during a tour with Mötley Crüe in the backstage area. The reason: a protest when no more drugs were available. The scene later even in the film “The Dirt – they wanted sex, drugs & rock’n’roll” about Tommy Lee (62) and his rock band and spread as a grotesque anecdote about the uninhibited lifestyle of Ozzy Osbourne.

Osbourne was sued in the mid -1980s after a fan had taken life under alleged influence of his song “Suicide Solution”. The parents accused the song hidden suicide messages. The lawsuit was dismissed, but the debate about the influence of music on young people violated violently and accompanied the musician for a long time. He commented on this case several times and repeatedly asserted that he would never call for suicide.

During a phase of extreme drug and alcohol excesses – also in the 1980s – Osbourne admitted to shot his own 17 cats with a shotgun. His wife Sharon found him under the piano, in a white suit, armed with shotgun and knife. Osbourne later described this dark event as a turning point in the fight against his addiction.

Osbourne reached the absolute low point of his excesses in 1988 when he tried to strangle his wife Sharon in a new blackout state. He was arrested for attempted murder, but was released a little later under conditions. Sharon Osbourne (72) previously received the advertisement to protect the family. This incident is considered the darkest moment of his career and drastically showed him how far his drug and alcohol addiction had already drasted him. Later, Sharon and Ozzy reconcile themselves, who have repeatedly forgiven numerous affairs over the years.

These scandals were not only slips from a seriously addicted man-they became an integral part of the Ozzy Osbourne legend. They made the musician an icon of the rebellion, a man who threw all conventions overboard. Ozzy Osbourne fought with the addiction throughout his life – including all ups and downs. In 2013, for example, he explained in an interview that after two years of abstinence he had consumed drugs and alcohol again, but was now clean again.

Osbourne paid the price for its excessive lifestyle with a massive health for decades. A nerve disease was diagnosed as early as the early 1990s. A Parkinson’s diagnosis followed in 2003. Since a quad accident, in which he almost died, he suffered from massive and chronic back pain, as a result, he had to be operated on several times. In addition, decades of smoking attacked his lungs, he also suffered from the progressive disease COPD.