From the famous “All Aboard!” start of “Crazy Train” to his frequently-memed “Sharon!”Ozzy Osbournepossessed one of the most distinctive bellows in contemporary history.
The Grammy-winning Prince of Darknessand a legendary musician has passed away recentlyweeks following their last performance in England with Black Sabbath. He was 76.
A family statementUSA TODAY was told that Osbourne passed away in Birmingham, England, “surrounded by love” on Tuesday morning.
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It is with a sorrow beyond words that we must announce the passing of our cherished Ozzy this morning,” the statement said. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We kindly ask everyone to respect our family’s privacy during this time.
Timeline: Life on a ‘Crazy Train’ — an exploration of Ozzy Osbourne’s journey
He leaves behind Sharon Osbourne, his spouse for over four decades, as well as daughters Jessica, Aimee, and Kelly and sons Elliot, Louis, and Jack.
Osbourne was among the most legendary personalities in rock, shaping the sound and image of heavy metal through his distinctive voice and outrageous behavior. After reaching the peak of his musical success, he transitioned into a reality television career, becoming just as famous for his infamous act of biting the head off a bat during a performance as for his chaotic arguments with his wife and children at home.
Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham, England on December 3, 1948, hegained more than five decades of fame, initially as a member of Black Sabbath before pursuing a solo career after being dismissed from the band in 1979 because of hiswidespread drug and alcohol addiction.
He eventually reconnected with Black Sabbath, the group that played a key role in popularizing heavy metal, including their 2006 entry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a July 5 “Back to the Beginning” final performance in his hometown.
It takes some time to stop being Ozzy,Osbourne said to USA TODAY in 2013I’ve been independent for 35 years, and it took me three or four performances to stop being Ozzy and rejoin Black Sabbath. Now it’s a single unit. It’s wonderful, a completely different experience.
Ozzy Osbourne transitions from a working-class background to becoming a rock legend.
Osbourne came from a family of working-class background. As a child, he was identified with dyslexia and eventually left school at the age of 15. He took on various low-paying jobs before being caught committing thefts and spending some time in prison. After his release, he found solace in music, starting his career with Black Sabbath in the late 1960s.
His first solo album, “Blizzard of Ozz,” was released in 1980. It placed at number 9 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 best metal albums ever and includes some of Osbourne’s most iconic tracks with guitarist Randy Rhoades, such as “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” and the contentious “Suicide Solution.”
Twelve additional studio albums were released, including tracks like “Miracle Man” from the 1988 album “No Rest For The Wicked” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from the 1991 release “No More Tears,” enriching the history of rock ‘n’ roll.
His penultimate album, 2020’s “Ordinary Man,” was the first one he finished without drinking., Osbourne told Apple MusicIt included partnerships with Elton John, Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, and Post Malone. USA TODAY’s Bryan Alexander noted that it was “packed with lyrics suitable for his Prince of Darkness nickname. The tracks explore themes of mortality (including a moment on the deathbed), his history with drug use, and remorse.”
I believed it was the drugs and alcohol that made everything function,” Osbourne stated. “But that’s not accurate. For years, all I was doing was self-medicating because I didn’t like how I felt. However, this is the first album I’ve co-written and recorded (expletive) while completely sober… The previous album, I wrote some of it while high.
His last album, “Patient Number 9,” was released in September 2022 and garnered him three Grammy nominations: best rock song for “Patient Number 9”; best rock performance for “Patient Number 9”; and a victory for best metal performance for “Degradation Rules.”
Ozzy Osbourne was among rock’s most well-known miscreants.
Osbourne’s struggles with substance abuse have resulted in some notorious incidents in the music world. He famously bit the head off a dove during a 1981 meeting with record company officials in Los Angeles and thethe next year, he bit off the head of a live bat during a performance in Des Moines. Osbourne stated he believed the bat was a replica but later mentioned he received treatment for rabies as a precaution. In 2019, Osbourne sold a preserved bat to commemorate the event; it sold out in a matter of hours.
The Lord of Darkness was also taken to jail in 1982 for urinating on the Alamo Cenotaph, which was built in 1939 to commemorate 189 Texans who lost their lives at the famous location in San Antonio. He was later prohibited from performing in Alamo City for ten years.
That same year, the musician married Sharon following his divorce from his first wife, Thelma. Their relationship was frequently turbulent, with at least one instance of a short-term separation, yet Sharon continued to be Osbourne’s most loyal supporter.
Sharon also created Ozzfest following Osbourne’s rejection by Lollapalooza in 1996. It remained a regular event almost every year until 2018 and became one of the most well-liked hard rock music festivals in the nation.
Ozzy Osbourne shared details regarding his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
Besides his extensive and renowned music career, Osbourne became an unexpected television star. The reality series “The Osbournes” was broadcast on MTV for four seasons, starting in 2002. The program was filled with humor as it documented the family’s adventures, excluding daughter Aimee, who chose not to take part.
After “The Osbournes,” Sharon later hosted a brief syndicated talk show, then had a period on CBS’ “The Talk.” Her husband and family were often brought up in conversations.
Ozzy Osbourne received a diagnosis of a type of Parkinson’s disease in 2019., which was diagnosed following a severe fall that “damaged all the vertebrae” in his neck, resulting in the cancellation of his European tour. Osbourne kept his challenges hidden, but eventually decided to reveal them to his fans.
“I’m not skilled at keeping secrets. I can’t carry it around anymore,” he said during aInterview in January 2020 on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”I feel better now that I’ve admitted I have Parkinson’s disease.
He had spinal surgery during the summer of 2020, expressing his desire to return to the stage once the coronavirus pandemic was over.
It would require time, but Osbourne eventually returned to the stage for a few live shows, including the 2022 Los Angeles Rams’ opening football game.
Less than two weeks prior to his passing, a new memoir by Osbourne titled “Last Rites” was revealed (set for release on Oct. 7 by Grand Central Publishing Group). The publisher describes it as “the shocking, sharply humorous, previously untold account of Osbourne’s journey into hell.”
In the book, Osbourne states, “Listen, if it’s over tomorrow, I can’t complain. I’ve traveled all over the world. I’ve seen many things. I’ve done well… and I’ve made mistakes. But right now, I’m not prepared to leave anywhere.”
Contributing: Gary Dinges
This piece first was published on USA TODAY:Ozzy Osbourne, the rock legend, passes away at 76, just weeks following his last performance with Black Sabbath.
