British singer Ozzy Osbourne, leader of the group Black Sabbath and a key figure in the development of 'heavy metal', has passed away this Tuesday at the age of 76, as confirmed by his family in a statement. He did so "surrounded by his family and with love," the text reads, asking for "respect for the family's privacy at this time."
Known as the "Prince of Darkness," Osbourne led an excessive life, marked by rampant drug use and his scandalous stage presence. With Black Sabbath, he produced rock classics that helped shape the development of different metal genres in the 70s and 80s. Albums like 'Paranoid' (1970) and 'Master Of Reality' (1971), and songs like 'War Pigs,' 'Sweet Leaf,' and 'Crazy Train,' the latter belonging to Ozzy's first solo album, 'Blizzard of Ozz' (1980), after leaving the group.
On July 5th, Osbourne reunited with the original Sabbath lineup (Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward) at a farewell concert in his native Birmingham called 'Back to the Beginning,' where they were joined by illustrious heirs of their music like Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Mastodon, and Anthrax, among others. During the event, the singer performed seated on a throne, as earlier in the year he had lost the ability to walk due to Parkinson's disease. His death comes 17 days after this farewell performance, which raised £140 million donated to children's hospitals in the West Midlands area and foundations for Parkinson's research and care.
Osbourne, born in the suburb of Marston Green on December 3, 1948, was known beyond rock and metal circles for his participation in 'The Osbournes,' a reality show aired by MTV from 2002 to 2005 that depicted his family life with his wife Sharon and children Kelly and Jack, who became stars like their father after the show aired.
Emerging from one of the most conflictive environments of post-industrial England, John Michael Osbourne was a child who had to deal with learning problems, abuse, and juvenile delinquency. Music was, as he mentioned in various interviews throughout his life, his way to escape the hole. At 19, he joined Geezer Butler's group, soon joined by Iommi and Ward, and they named the band Earth. In 1969, they changed the band's name and borrowed the English title from the movie by Mario Bava 'I tre volti della paura' (1963).
If Black Sabbath revolutionized music, it was mainly because of Osbourne. That heavy psychedelia, like an intoxicated brontosaurus, found in Ozzy's screams and deranged gestures the perfect vehicle to transcend the circles of occult rockers and the darkest practitioners of rhythm and blues. If Led Zeppelin laid the groundwork for hard rock, Ozzy and his bandmates entered the scene wielding a wrecking ball: solid and relentless.
The word "pioneer" is worn out from overuse, but with Black Sabbath, there is no risk of overexploitation. The trail of bands that emerged in their wake extends to this day: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Rainbow, Venom, Sepultura, Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Ghost...
Ozzy's challenging and disturbing spirit also endures. A symbol of bad influence, throughout his career, he had to continuously confront the idea that his music was responsible for various evils, from suicides of his fans to murders by those who had once listened to his songs, and according to critics of his compositions, played a crucial role in the development of crimes. In 1987, Osbourne was sued by the parents of a 19-year-old who took his own life while listening to his song 'Suicide Solution' (also included in 'Blizzard of Ozz'), although the case was dismissed. In his defense, the singer argued that the song addressed the dangers of alcohol, which at the time had led to the death of his friend Bon Scott, AC/DC's vocalist.
Ozzy never made much effort to distance himself from that negative image. A protagonist of countless urban legends, he secured a place in the pantheon with his interactions with animals. Thus, in the early 80s, after signing a record deal with Columbia Records, and in a state as far from sobriety as possible, he took a dove brought as a goodwill gesture and bit its head off. The story repeated a few months later, during a concert in Iowa: a fan brought a seemingly dead bat to the stage; Ozzy saw it and proceeded to decapitate the flying creature with another bite. According to the singer, the bat was still alive. So alive that it bit the human before he did the same, leading Osbourne to receive a rabies shot. The star claimed at the time that he thought it was a rubber bat and that's why he went through with the ritual. The anecdote became one of his trademarks, as seen in the movie 'Little Nicky' (2000), where Osbourne makes a cameo and faces off against a winged mammal through decapitation with his teeth. In his quest to feed the legend, in 2019, he put up for sale in his online store a toy bat with a detachable head that sold out within hours.
"What the hell is wrong with getting drunk? There must be something wrong with the system if so many people have to do it"
After experimenting with cannabis and LSD in the group's early albums, Ozzy tried cocaine, which had a significant impact on his life. His excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco was joined by other companions. For a decade, Osbourne and drugs were one, something he boasted about in a 1978 interview: "I get high, I get 'smashed'... What the hell is wrong with getting drunk? There must be something wrong with the system if so many people have to get 'wasted'... However, I never take drugs or anything before going on stage. Afterward, I smoke a joint or whatever is needed."
But his bandmates didn't share the same view. In April 1979, they kicked him out of Black Sabbath, citing his drug problems. Ozzy took it in the most 'Osbournean' way possible: he spent the £100,000 severance on a well-stocked stash and locked himself away for three months to drink and snort. Thinking it was the end of his career, he surrendered to the arms of his father-in-law, Don Arden, Sharon's father, who secured him various contracts that Osbourne violated or failed to comply with due to his erratic behavior. However, this character trait transformed into a productive dynamic, flourishing not only in albums and audiovisual products but also in a festival, Ozzfest, which, like few initiatives, contributed to the development of the global metal community.
After a few years apart, during which the group had other vocalists (the most notable being Ronnie James Dio), Osbourne and Black Sabbath reunited in 1997 on a tour that resulted in a live album, 'Reunion' (1998). Intermittent reunions led to a new album by the band, '13' (2013), followed by a long farewell tour of Black Sabbath between 2016 and 2017.
The impact of Ozzy's death was evident in the numerous condolences shared on social media. For instance, Elton John wrote: "I am deeply saddened by the news of Ozzy Osbourne's passing. He was a great friend and a great pioneer who earned a place in the pantheon of rock gods: a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I have ever met. I will miss him greatly. My condolences and love go out to Sharon and his family."
His city's football team also expressed their condolences: "Aston Villa Football Club deeply mourns the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, the rock star and world-renowned 'villain.' Ozzy, who grew up in Aston, near Villa Park, always maintained a special connection with the club and the community he came from."
"He was a great pioneer who earned a place in the pantheon of rock gods. He was also one of the funniest people I have ever met"
Similarly, politicians also joined in expressing their condolences. The Labour Party's Shabana Mahmood, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice of the United Kingdom, as well as a representative in the British Parliament for Birmingham, shared the following: "It was an honor to have celebrated the extraordinary life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne just a few weeks ago. I am devastated to learn of his passing today. One of the greatest gifts that my city gave to the world. My condolences are with his family. In Ozzy's words: 'Birmingham forever'."
The loss of such a charismatic figure is also an opportunity to analyze the representation of the perverse in music. Although Ozzy was often accused of Satanism, his was more of a deliberate and exaggerated exercise in irresponsibility. In fact, he maintained a constant relationship with the Christianity in which he was raised throughout his life, with ups and downs, back and forth. Unlike Marilyn Manson, who identified himself as the Antichrist, Ozzy preferred to see himself as a kind of Dennis the Menace. A big kid who never quite understood the consequences of his actions until it was too late. This is also how those who worked with him saw him. In the documentary 'God Bless Ozzy Osbourne' (2011), produced by his son Jack, only a few of the endless list of collaborators who were with Ozzy at some point parade. Many would strangle him... but then give him a hug.
During the farewell concert in Birmingham on July 5th, Ozzy saved a 1991 ballad for almost the end. 'Mama, I'm Coming Home' was written with Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead and is dedicated to Sharon. It's a song about seeking refuge after exploring darkness, but at that final concert, it sounded like a farewell to his city and his people: "I've seen your face a thousand times/ every day we've been apart./ I don't care about the sun, no,/ because Mama, Mama, I'm coming home".
Rest in evil.