Ozzy Osbourne - In Memoriam (1948-2025)

[Charger]

I think we need to have one for our man John Michael Osbourne here.


To me his death came as a complete shocker, after seeing him do the final show I thought he looked pretty good and was singing fine so I honestly thought there was no worries there.

Maybe something more sinister was going on and we just didn't know or maybe it was just something horribly sudden...well I suppose we might find out at some point.
But I was most certainly NOT expecting him to go any time soon.
With Ronnie atleast it was something that we knew might happen but this one...Just like Lemmy came pretty much out of nowhere and very soon after they preformed live too.


I can safely say that even though we have lost a bunch of great singers and musicians in the past few years Ozzy's death hit me the most since Ronnie's passing.
Being a fan of his work for 2/3 of my life means he has been a huge part of my life more than he hasn't.

I think for all of us here there's no doubt that we all loved the guy...faults and all. He was the epitome of a rock legend. He was and is and will always be one of the originators of Heavy Metal and had one of the most unique voices in history.

I'm thinking I need to go through his solo work now as it's been quite a while since I've listened to it properly.

Rock in Peace Ozz....thanks for all the greatness!

[Jack the Stripper]

First of all, I wanna apologise to to you all for my long absence. I had my reasons which I won’t go into now but I promised myself that I would come back if one of our beloved Black Sabbath band members died. Because of that deep Sabbath connection I have with you guys and the reason we all hooked up to begin with. Black Sabbath. I ended up breaking that promise a few weeks ago out of excitement for the then approaching Back to the Beginning farewell concert, but here I am again for the reason I wish I didn’t have to be here for.

Ozzy shaped my musical journey from an early teen and is the reason I fell in love with heavy metal. From his mesmerising & emotive voice, captivating vocal melodies, dark persona and crazy on and off stage antics he was the artist, singer & performer I connected with more than any other. Getting to meet him backstage with my wife in 2013 before he took the stage with his Black Sabbath band mates is the biggest pinch me moment I’ve ever experienced and will live with me forever. He was funny, entertaining, and very personable, and filled the room with an aura like I’ve never felt before or since. He was as genuine a musical hero/legend as you’ll ever meet.
It’s so hard to accept he is gone. It was only just over 2 weeks ago I spent 10 hours straight from midnight to 10am watching a pay for view stream from Villa Park, Aston, with my son as a cavalcade of legendary metal bands and artist celebrated him and Black Sabbath before he took to the stage one last time giving his heart & soul like he always did, performing a short set of solo songs before finishing the concert with his Black Sabbath brothers. It was ultimate way to go out for the ultimate entertainer.

Thank you, Ozzy, for the unforgettable music, the joy, the memories, your craziness, and for sometimes getting me through tough times. Love you forever!


Peace and love to you all and again, sorry for my long absence

[Charger]

Welcome back Jack even if it is under these horrible circumstances...

I did not remember you'd had the chance to meet Ozzy. That's pretty damn awesome. I never had that chance.


I thought it would be suitable to dig up my old Ozzy framed picture that I won back in the day back on the wall! Been tucked away in a closet for waaaay too long. Don't think I'll come down ever again!

[Zzzptm]

What could I say that wouldn't be an understatement?

Maybe a personal experience... hearing Ozzy singing on the radio when I was a kid made me want to get a Black Sabbath album. Out of the blue, I got Sabbath Bloody Sabbath as my first pick from that catalog. I'll tell the same story when Tony Iommi passes, but we all know the two are connected closely. That opening track totally blew me away, first with the riff, then with the scorching vocals. Then ending with "Looking for Today" and "Spiral Architect" was perfection for me. The emotional connection I made with the music Ozzy made was real, and made my life richer in experience and wiser in my outlook.

Thanks, Ozzy.

[Typhon]

It is pretty difficult to find the right words to express how much Ozzie's and Black Sabbath's music has helped me along in my life.  I have been on my own for the great majority of my adult life, and I think when that is the case, the hobbies and entertainment you indulge in, become a bit more important to you than it does to people who have families.  Not that people with loved ones can't love these things too, but there is that further close connection that is tough to explain.

Like Jack, I too am fortunate enough to have met Ozzie.  It was in 1992 right after an Ozzfest concert.  I still have the picture of the 2 of us sitting on a couch where he had just autographed a CD for me.  A moment I will never forget.

I have been listening to the music for 55 years now.  Not always for pure entertainment, but also for those rare times when I'm feeling down and I need an uplift.  I'll continue to do this for the rest of my life.  So, thanks Ozzie for the help.

[Thelemech]

I've been a fan of Ozzy and Black Sabbath since 7th grade
I also connected with my father through Black Sabbath music and when my mother was younger she also listened to Sabbath
The pride of my extensive cd collection is a signed by Ozzy copy of 13
The first time I truly listened Sabbath was SBS and I instantly felt a deep connection to the music
Shortly after I got both diary of a madman and blizzard of ozz and it became a full blown obsession and soon I had all the Ozzy Sabbath albums
Great times

R.I.P.

[Vyn]

It is beyond question that Black Sabbath has played a large role in my life, as evidenced by the -years- spent on this messageboard, a previous messageboard, friend circles in person, etc. gabbing about the big things and minutia related to the band and its members. I don't do that with any other musical entertainers.

Perhaps the most widely recognizable member of the band (or any band for that matter) is Ozzy and with his passing I feel that an era has well and truely ended. The fact that Ozzy died while the rest of us were just starting to come down from the massive nostalgia-high that he had engineered with the, "Back to the Beginning," blow-out is remarkable.

I never met him. I saw Black Sabbath in 1976 at Memorial Auditorium in Kansas City - it was the first time I participated in a live event with the Sabs and the last time I saw them with Ozzy. I saw Ozzy in concert several times over the years, beginning with his Blizzed of Oz tour at the same venue (which I thought was noteable) and every tour he performed in the U.S.A. up to and including the suporting tour for, "No Rest for the Wicked," in 1989. I remember seeing the news about Randy Rhoads dying and it was pretty much right after the concert I saw them at, and always thought that was far out.

I don't really have a lot of Ozzy "things". Although I collect records, I only ever managed to snag a promo copy of the "Mr. Crowley" EP released while they were still Blizzard of Oz. Otherwise his records I have are all just stock copies I bought from the store upon their release...the most recent one being "Patient Number 9".

Thanks to a forum member from the old forum, I have a signed copy of Black Sabbath's "13" CD which he picked up from the concert he attended. I enjoy it.

Although he lived a full, relatively long life, I still can't help feeling that it's traqic because I thought he'd never die...

Even my wife is stunned about Ozzy's death!

[Charger]

I'm told that Ozzie's final memoir, Last Rites, is set for release in October.

Moved this from another thread.

Yes I noticed that and there's also a documentary movie coming out later this year about Ozzy's health issues.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Apparently there's a petition started requesting to rename Birmingham International Airport after Ozzy.

There is precedence, Liverpool Airport is now the Liverpool John Lennon Airport. But would they go with Ozzy or his real name?

[Vyn]

There is precedence, Liverpool Airport is now the Liverpool John Lennon Airport. But would they go with Ozzy or his real name?

Maybe both - I listened to a news segment about Ozzy and the lady newscaster stated, "John Ozzy Osbourne was born...blah blah".

[Typhon]

^^^^^^
^^^^^^
Sounds like a great idea, although I would prefer they name it the Birmingham Black Sabbath International Airport.  After all, they are all from Birmingham.

[Charger]

I have to agree. That would be a better name to be honest. It would even roll off the tongue much easier... or Black Sabbath International Airport of Birmingham.

[Zzzptm]

"I've got a connecting flight from John Lennon to Black Sabbath."

"What, are you flying Vinnie Appice?"

I think many musicians would love something like that. Let's rename that airport! DO IT FOR OZZY!

[Charger]

Alice Cooper joined by mr. Johnny Depp played a tribute to Ozzy!

[Vyn]

Peace and love to you all and again, sorry for my long absence

The same to you Jack - good to see you!