Ozzy Osbourne: Looking back at his incredible legacy
British rock star Ozzy Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948, and by the early 1970s, he burst onto the rock scene like a bat out of hell as Black Sabbath’s frontman. Following his departure from the band, Osbourne went to have a successful career as a solo artist while turning his unique persona into a thing of legend.
Osbourne, often referred to as the Godfather of Heavy Metal, earned much of his attention because of his ferocious public shenanigans that have almost always pushed boundaries. Although he was a musician, fans grew to love Osbourne even more, thanks to his family’s hit TV reality show. Before all that, he was just a kid from Birmingham, England. Here’s the story of heavy metal’s king of darkness.
His Real Name Was John Michael And The Nickname Ozzy Didn’t Come Until His Youth
Born to a working-class family, John Michael Osbourne was the fourth of sixth children. The nickname “Ozzy” didn’t come into play until he entered elementary school.
During his high school years, the future musician struggled with dyslexia which led to low grades that ultimately prompted Osbourne to leave school altogether.
His Deep Love For Music Consisted Of Nothing But The Beatles
Osbourne developed a deep love for music the moment he heard “She Loves You” by The Beatles. The second he heard the song it inspired him to become a rockstar.
It didn’t take Osbourne long to explore his potential as a vocalist thanks to his trademark voice that didn’t sound like anything on the radio.
He Bought A Hotel Room After Letting Fireworks Off In It
According to Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, Osbourne got a hefty bill after having too much fun one night on tour.
Apparently, Ozzy went crazy, letting off fireworks in the corridor. Then, it escalated from there, alarms were going off, the police came, and the rock star got himself a bill worth more than $200,000.
Black Sabbath Was Named After A Boris Karloff Anthology
1969 was the year when Osbourne teamed up with Terence “Geezer Butler, Tomy Lommi, and Bill Ward to form a band.
Initially, the group’s name was Polka Tulk Blues, which was switched to Earth. Since another band was using Earth, they settled for Black Sabbath which is a reference to a horror anthology starring Boris Karloff.
Ozzy’s Nose Is Indestructible After Covering It In Paint
Outside of his irrational stage fear, Ozzy was looking for a way to become the band’s “class clown” during performances.
According to Tommy Lee, one time, while their respected bands were drinking, Ozzy stumbled upon some purple paint backstage during a show and covered his nose with it. The color wouldn’t come off for weeks, leaving the heavy metal musician with a purple nose.
He Really Did Bite The Head Of A Bat
During the peak of his drug addiction, Osbourne was performing when someone in the audience decided to throw a bat on stage.
Osbourne believed it was rubber, like many before it had been, so he bit the head off and it turned out to be a real bat. It forced Ozzy to be treated for rabies, but he survived the incident.
Ozzy Thrived As Solo Artist
Black Sabbath never reached the same status without Osbourne as their frontman. In fact, they grew sick of each other. Meanwhile, Ozzy found success as a solo artist.
“Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley” would help Osbourne’s first debut album Blizzard of Ozz reach the top 10 in the U.K. The first seven solo albums he released were all awarded multi-platinum certifications.
One Of Osbourne’s Bandmates Was Killed In A Plane Crash
Blizzard of Ozz was a success and Osbourne’s follow-up album Diary of a Madman did just as well. It launched another tour, too.
However, the Diary of a Madman Tour ended in tragedy for Osbourne. A plane crash would kill guitarist Randy Rhoads along with two other members of their entourage.
Osbourne Was Married Twice
Osbourne’s first marriage to Thelma Riley ended in a divorce, but they had two kids together named Jessica and Louis.
On July 4, 1982, Osbourne tied the knot with Sharon Arden, whose father was the manager for Black Sabbath. The couple had three children together. Aime, Kelly, and son Jack were all born in a three-year span.
1992 Was The Year Ozzy Got Acclaim For His Music
It was the same year the solo artist announced that his No More Tears Tour would be the last. The popularity of his double-live album, Live & Loud forced the former Black Sabbath frontman to rethink his career.
The single “I Don’t Wanna Change The World” was Osbourne’s first Grammy win in 1994. It took 20 years but Ozzy was finally getting the recognition he deserved for his part in bringing the heavy metal scene to the masses.
Ozzy And Black Sabbath Reunited After Nearly 20 Years Of Being Apart
Osbourne reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates at the turn of the century for a series of concerts along with a new album, 13. Sabbath began work on a new studio album in 2001 with producer Rick Rubin.
In 2015, they announced one final tour, called, The End. The tour wrapped up in February 2017 in the band members’ hometown of Birmingham, England.
Black Sabbath, The Greatest Metal Band Ever
Black Sabbath found themselves as inductees into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the following year.
They won two Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance along with being ranked by MTV’s the “Greatest Metal Band” of all-time. Not bad for a high school dropout who couldn’t stay out of trouble for most of his life.
Jack Osbourne Teamed With His Dad For An Exciting TV Show
Ozzy and his son Jack made a return to the small screen once again but with a very different premise than their original hit reality TV series.
Both father and son were interested in history and Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour captured the Osbourne boys visiting iconic landmarks along with attractions from around the world.
Ozzy Never Watched The Osbournes
The musician-turned-reality-star remained relevant thanks to The Osbournes. Interestingly enough, Ozzy said he hated the show, mostly since the cameras were always around his family.
Despite the show launching his wife’s career, Osbourne was glad that the show was over and stated he never planned to watch a single episode.
Ozzy’s Legacy
Ozzy sadly passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76, but he remains a musical legend and will always be remembered for his incredible impact on rock and roll.
