The Alamo Cenotaph has paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne by remembering the time he urinated on the monument in the early ’80s.
The Black Sabbath frontman and iconic solo artist died yesterday (Tuesday July 22), aged 76. It came shortly after Osbourne took to the stage for his last-ever live shows at Sabbath’s huge ‘Back To The Beginning’ gig in Birmingham on July 5.
His family wrote in a statement: “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.”
Tributes have since poured in from across the music world, including messages from his former bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler. “So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston,” the latter wrote, adding: “Love you.”
Elsewhere, the likes of Ghost and Gojira have paid their respects to Osbourne onstage while fans shared footage and memories from the legendary artist’s final performances. Other tributes have come from the likes of Elton John, Yungblud, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Jack White and many more.
Bizarrely, a spokesperson for the Alamo Cenotaph in San Antonio, Texas, paid their respects to Osbourne by looking back on the time he was arrested for urinating on the historic monument in 1982.
It read: “We at the Alamo are saddened to hear of the passing of legendary musician Ozzy Osbourne. His relationship with the Alamo was marked initially by a deeply disrespectful incident in 1982. This act profoundly and rightfully upset many who hold this site sacred.”
The tribute continued: “However, redemption and reconciliation eventually became part of his history as well. In 1992, Ozzy personally apologised to then-Mayor Nelson Wolff and expressed genuine remorse for his actions.”
The message added: “Decades later, in 2015, he revisited the Alamo grounds to learn and appreciate the site’s profound history, openly demonstrating humility and understanding. At the Alamo, we honour history in all its complexities.
“Today, we acknowledge Ozzy Osbourne’s journey from regret to reconciliation at the historic site, and we extend our condolences to his family, friends, and fans around the world. May he rest in peace.”
The tribute was accompanied by a photo of Osbourne and his son, Jack, visiting the Alamo in 2015 for their History Channel show Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour.
The 1982 incident saw Osbourne leave his hotel room to drink in his wife Sharon’s dress, after she hid his clothes to try and prevent him from going out. He claimed that he thought the monument was a heap of trash.
Following his arrest for public urination, Osbourne was banned from ever playing in San Antonio again, though the ban was lifted in the ’90s after he donated $10,000 to the group that runs and protects the Alamo.
After being forgiven, the Prince Of Darkness played two solo shows at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio in 1992.
“We all have done things in our lives that we regret,” Osbourne said at the time (via Loudwire). “I am deeply honoured that the people of San Antonio have found it in their hearts to have me back. I hope that this donation will show that I have grown up.”
He also explained: “I can honestly say, all the bad things that ever happened to me were directly, directly attributed to drugs and alcohol. I mean, I would never urinate at the Alamo at nine o’clock in the morning dressed in a woman’s evening dress sober.”
The Alamo Cenotaph is a monument to those who died at the Battle Of The Alamo in 1836.
In 2017, Jack Osbourne recalled accompanying Ozzy on his return to the Alamo during an appearance on SiriusXM. “I think he had a bit of PTSD around the whole thing, because they really scared the crap out of him when he got arrested there,” he said. “He was like, ‘No! We can’t [go there] – this is gonna get crazy. I’m not OK with this. Trust me – this is gonna get crazy’. I’m like, ‘No, it’s fine!’
“And then the local politicians announced it at a city conference, in front of the entire city… ‘Ozzy Osbourne’s coming to the Alamo on Tuesday’ or something. And it was just like, ‘You guys weren’t supposed to do that’.”
Earlier this year, Osbourne said he was done with the “rock star lifestyle”. “I don’t want to die in a hotel room somewhere,” he explained. “I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.”
