icon ozzy

Heavy Metal Icon Ozzy Osbourne Dies at 76, Weeks After Final Black Sabbath Performance in Birmingham

Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, passed away at 76 on Tuesday. The musician, famous to millions as the ‘Prince of Darkness,’ died peacefully in the presence of his loved ones. Though Osbourne had been struggling with Parkinson’s disease since 2019, the family didn’t reveal the reason behind his death.

Osbourne’s passing follows just weeks after his forceful last stand with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5. Playing from a black throne, he gave a tearful goodbye to a packed hometown audience, a suitable curtain call for one of the careers of a rock godfather.

From Aston to Arena: The Rise of Rock God

Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham’s Aston area on December 3, 1948, Ozzy was from a working-class family. He dropped out of school at 15 and served time in jail for burglary before finding his way into music, playing in local bands. In the late 1960s, he teamed up with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward to create Black Sabbath.

Their sound, dark, heavy, and innovative, set the stage for the heavy metal genre. Records such as ‘Paranoid’ and ‘Master of Reality’ became international anthems, and Osbourne’s theatrical, black-clad image turned him into a countercultural figure.

Solo Stardom and Public Struggles

After being kicked out of Black Sabbath in 1978, Osbourne re-established himself as a solo artist. His first album, Blizzard of Ozz (1980), with the hit Crazy Train, marked the beginning of a wildly popular streak. Fame also brought infamy; his unstable antics, fueled by booze and drug addiction, are the stuff of rock lore.

In one notorious episode, he bit off the head of a bat during a performance, believing it was a prop. In 1989, he was arrested for trying to strangle his wife, Sharon, when he had blacked out from drinking. He went into rehab and later resurfaced sober, publicly vowing to stay that way.

Reality TV and Cultural Reinvention

In the 2000s, Osbourne became a household name for a whole new generation with MTV’s The Osbournes. The series presented him as a goofy but kindly father figure, rebranding his one-time menacing reputation in more humorous, avuncular terms. With his wife, Sharon, and kids, Jack and Kelly, he gained new relevance and popular appeal.

Tributes Pour in for Musical Maverick

Tributes have flooded in from right around the music world and beyond. Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler paid tribute to a ‘brother.’ Elton John described him as a ‘trailblazer,’ and Queen’s Brian May praised his ‘fearless talent.’ Birmingham MPs Shabana Mahmood and Al Carns said he was one of the city’s best cultural exports.

Osbourne is left behind by his wife, Sharon, their children-Aimee, Kelly, and Jack-and children from a first marriage. His mark as a trailblazer, troublemaker, and international rock phenomenon continues to be indelibly etched in music history.