Few people in music history are as iconic, controversial, and influential as Ozzy Osbourne. Known for his heavy metal hits and infamous on-and-off-stage antics, Osbourne’s life was a rollercoaster of ups and downs to global stardom. Here’s a look into the life of the “Godfather of Heavy Metal,” Ozzy Osbourne.
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England, Ozzy grew up in a working-class family. His parents, John and Lillian Osbourne, were factory workers, and lived in a small two-bedroom home with their six kids. Struggling with dyslexia, Ozzy dropped out of school at the age of 15 to join the workforce. He worked several jobs and was skilled in construction, plumbing, and many other professions. Unfortunately, at 17 years old, he was convicted of robbing a clothing store and sentenced to six weeks in prison. Throughout the challenging times, Ozzy found comfort in music and expressed admiration for The Beatles.
In 1967, at the age of 19, Ozzy joined the band Rare Breed as their lead vocalist, but the group disbanded the following year. Ozzy, along with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward, then formed the group “Polka Tulk Blues”. Shortly after, they changed the name to “Earth,” but that name didn’t stick either. Inspired by the horror movie “Black Sabbath”, they decided that would be the perfect name for their group, and the rest is history. Their self-titled debut album was released on February 13, 1970 (Friday the 13th). It introduced a dark sound unlike anything the world had heard before. With tracks like “The Wizard,” “Evil Woman,” and “Behind the Wall of Sleep,” the band laid the foundation for what would become heavy metal. Ozzy’s eerie vocals and creepy persona earned him the pseudonym “The Prince of Darkness.”
Behind the scenes, tensions rose and substance abuse problems threatened the band’s stability. After a decade of success and chaos, Ozzy was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979.
Rather than fading into obscurity, Ozzy launched a solo career that would overshadow his Black Sabbath years. With the help of his future wife and manager Sharon Arden, he released “Blizzard of Ozz” in 1980, featuring now-classic tracks “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley.” The album was a hit and redefined Ozzy as a solo force in the heavy metal world.
Over the years, Ozzy released multiple platinum albums and collaborated with some of rock’s finest guitarists, including Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, and Jake E. Lee. Despite personal tragedies and well-publicized struggles with addiction, Ozzy remained a sought-after act. He made headlines several times for his disturbing behavior, but some things were intentional. A few of the incidents are below:
- Shot 17 of his family’s cats – This occurred when he was high on drugs. His wife Sharon found him under a piano with a shotgun and a knife after the incident.
- Accidentally drugged a priest – Ozzy made a cake using cannabis and told his wife not to let anyone eat it, and left home. Unfortunately, his wife forgot about the warning. Ozzy returned home to find the local priest eating the cake and drinking tea at his kitchen table. Shortly after, the priest was slumped over. Ozzy drove the priest home and left him at his door, then walked back to his house.
- Killed several chickens – Shot and killed numerous chickens he had in a coop then set the coop on fire. He also threw live ammunition in the fire.
- Stripped in a restaurant – While dining in Germany, a reportedly drunken Ozzy climbed onto the table in the restaurant and took his clothes off.
- Meat throwing – During concerts, Ozzy would throw raw meat into the audience. Fans would also sneak items into his concerts, such as live snakes, sheep testicles, frogs, and rats to throw on stage
- Threw a 50-inch TV from a hotel window – While staying at The Four Seasons in Prague, Ozzy snatched the TV from the wall and threw it out of a 9th-floor window causing over $50K in damages.
- Painted his nose purple – Decided to paint his nose purple as a joke for a concert. Afterwards, he was unable to wash it off, and his nose stayed purple for weeks until it wore off.
- Urinated on The Alamo – After having too much to drink, he urinated on the historic site and was arrested for public intoxication.
- Bit the head off of a bat – This is the stunt that many say is the wildest thing Ozzy ever did, but it was by accident. During a concert, a fan threw a bat on stage. Ozzy picked up the bat thinking it was a rubber toy, and bit the head off. This led to him having to get several painful rabies shots.
In 2002, Ozzy showed us a different side of himself through reality TV with “The Osbournes.” The MTV hit show gave us an inside look into his family life. It revealed his softer, lovable side as opposed to the “dark” side that fans were accustomed to. The Osbournes became a household name and showed a humorous side to the man many had once feared and called a Satanist.
In recent years, Ozzy has faced numerous health issues, including Parkinson’s disease, neck surgeries, and falls that forced him to cancel tour dates. Through all of this, he continued to release music and make appearances, refusing to let illness hold him back.
In 2020, Ozzy released his twelfth album, “Ordinary Man,” featuring Elton John and Post Malone. He followed up with another album in 2022, “Patient Number 9,” showing that even as he battled health issues, his spirit and creativity were as strong as ever.
Ozzy Osbourne sold over 100 million records and won numerous awards, including three Grammys and the Clio Music Award for Lifetime Achievement. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The legendary group Metallica and Marilyn Manson called him a hero and inspiration.
On July 5, 2025, Ozzy reunited with his former bandmates, bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward, and guitarist Tony Iommi for a Black Sabbath final show. The event was called “Back to the Beginning.” It marked Black Sabbath’s first performance in two decades. It was billed as Osbourne’s “final bow.”
Sadly, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, less than three weeks after Ozzy’s “final bow” performance, his family delivered a shocking announcement.
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Ozzy Osbourne left a musical imprint on the world that can never be duplicated or surpassed. He will always be known as the man who created the heavy metal genre.
An official cause of death has not been released at this time. Ozzy Osbourne was survived by his wife Sharon and six children. He was 76 years old.