Heavy metal has lost its beloved monarch.
Ozzy Osbourne — the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath, solo icon, reality TV star, scourge to bats everywhere and self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness — has died at the age of 76, just weeks after performing what would be his final farewell concert in his hometown of Birmingham.
“He was with his family and surrounded by love”
Ozzy’s family confirmed the news in a heartfelt statement released in the early hours of this morning, saying: “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. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Born John Michael Osbourne, the heavy metal trailblazer helped birth an entire genre when he formed Black Sabbath in the smoke-stained industrial heart of Birmingham back in 1968. With doomy riffs, horror-tinged theatrics, and a voice that could summon demons (not to mention chart-scorching hits), Ozzy’s influence on rock and metal was nothing short of tectonic.
As news of his death broke, tributes began flooding in from across the rock world. The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood remembered Ozzy’s final concert fondly, writing: “What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.”
Metallica also posted a photo of the band with Ozzy, captioned simply with a broken heart emoji.
From (accidentally fyi) biting the head off a live bat onstage and snorting a line of ants/enthusiastically lapping up his own piss to impress Mötley Crüe, to winning Grammys and starring in his own MTV reality show, Ozzy lived one of the most outrageous and iconic lives in music history — a madman on the stage, a soft-spoken Brummie off it, and a true OG til the very end.
Rest in power, Ozzy. The throne of darkness will never be filled again.
Further Reading
Watch Slipknot’s Sid Wilson Propose To Kelly Osbourne At Black Sabbath’s Final Show
The 10 Most Metal Moments Of Black Sabbath’s Final Ever Sydney Show
Heavy Metal Helps Listeners Deal With Their Own Mortality, Study Finds
