Ozzy Osbourne Is Coming Home
Raise your horns and all hail the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, dead at 76.
The music world was truly rocked this week with the passing of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne on Tuesday 22 July, just weeks after performing his final ever live show in his hometown of Birmingham, England. The ‘Back to the Beginning’ concert saw Ozzy reunite with original Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward one last time.
It was a fittingly heartfelt sendoff for one of rock’s most iconic and influential characters who defined a subculture and inspired generations of musicians. His incredible legacy is forever inscribed in the vast annals of rock music history, occupying rarefied space preserved for few elite figures. Elton John said Ozzy Osbourne was a “huge trailblazer” who “secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods”.
Ozzy Osbourne was born John Michael Osbourne in 1948 and grew up in Birmingham. He had a troubled childhood, owing to his dyslexia and abuse from bullies at school. He left school at 15 and worked a number of jobs, including at a slaughterhouse. At 17, he was incarcerated for robbing a clothes store, spending six weeks in jail. All these experiences contributed to a fertile well of dark inspiration Ozzy would later channel into his music.
Black Sabbath formed in 1968, featuring Ozzy on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums. After several name changes, the band settled on Black Sabbath in 1969 and released their self-titled debut album in 1970. It was a watershed moment. Iommi’s detuned guitar riffs, Butler’s hypnotic bass and Ward’s pummelling drums provided the perfect backdrop for Ozzy’s symphonic black sermons.
Ozzy’s wailing lyrics explored dark, often otherworldly topics: Devil worship, Satanic rituals, human sacrifice, murder, the supernatural and Occult, all underpinned by the recurring theme of descending into madness. The hellish imagery they used on album covers and in live performances came as a visceral shock to the listening public.
Coming out of the countercultural revolution started in the ‘60s, Black Sabbath stood in stark contrast to the tie-dyed, psychedelic hippie rock that had dominated the era. Their brutal sound and confronting style were an affront to the established musical norm. Along with contemporaries Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, Black Sabbath helped birth the new era of heavy metal.
Ozzy’s initial tenure with the original incarnation of Black Sabbath lasted until 1979, when he was fired for drug and alcohol abuse. In that time, the band recorded eight albums, including ‘Paranoid’ (1970) and ‘Master of Reality’ (1971), which feature some of their seminal hits.
Following his departure from Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne embarked on a hugely successful solo career, working with some of the best musicians in the business – guitarists Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde among them – to create a prolific catalogue of beloved songs. It was around this time he was signed to Jet Records and managed by Don Arden, whose daughter Sharon would become a lifelong partner and defining force in Ozzy’s career.
Throughout Ozzy’s many and various struggles, from overcoming addiction and reviving his career to struggling with his failing health, Sharon played a highly supportive role as his wife and manager. She became a protector of Ozzy and the legacy he built, always championing his vital role as the Prince of Darkness. When grunge overtook metal in the ‘90s, Ozzy was rejected from playing at Lollapalooza because he was considered irrelevant by the alternative festival’s organisers. In umbrage at their disrespect to a rock icon, Sharon founded Ozzfest in 1996, a long-running heavy metal festival devoted to the legacy Ozzy created. It is largely because of Sharon Osbourne that Ozzy retains such cultural relevance.
Ozzy Osbourne is irreplaceable, a unique presence in this world that will never be repeated or replicated. Of course, he lives on in so many people all over the world who have benefitted from the music he gifted us, from the famous bands he inspired right down the line to everyday fans and listeners. By every rite and ritual, Ozzy has become immortal.
Unlike countless of his peers, colleagues and contemporaries in heavy metal and hard rock, Ozzy got to go out on top. In 2003, he was involved in a life-threatening ATV accident that left lasting damage, and in 2019 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Despite the damage caused by a lifetime of rock and roll excess and overindulgence, Ozzy endured to his natural end.
Ozzy’s unquestionable legacy isn’t just cemented by his musical contributions, but his incredible sense of humanity and humility. A possessed demon onstage, Ozzy Osbourne behind the scenes revealed himself to be a relatable, flawed human being with a deeply giving nature, even in the face of imminent death. The ‘Back to the Beginning’ benefit concert raised over 200 million dollars for UK children’s hospital charities. It is reported Ozzy stopped taking his prescribed medication so he could remain lucid for his final concert.
No tribute, eulogy, obituary, heartfelt speech, song nor poem could adequately express what Ozzy Osbourne means to so many people. His life was long and legendary, filled with all the complications and eccentricities expected as a heavy metal titan. He leaves behind something even more important than legacy or legend – love, for his family, friends and legion of fans. Rest well, Ozzy, you deserve it.
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