Heavy Metal Legend Ozzy Osbourne Dies

(Patria) - Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76, Sky News reported.

Osbourne's death comes just weeks after he held a major farewell concert with his Black Sabbath bandmates.

"It is with great sadness that we must announce that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was at home and surrounded by his family and loved ones," read a statement from his family.

Less than three weeks ago, as he performed from a throne on stage at Villa Park, Osbourne told fans: "You have no idea how I feel - thank you from the bottom of my heart".

It was a concert featuring some of his favorite artists, including Metallica and Guns'n'Roses, for Ozzy's "final bow".

He had Parkinson's disease and in recent years suffered from other health problems, including complications from injuries sustained in a fall in 2019.

Ozzy Osbourne, whose real name is John Michael Osbourne, was born on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England.

Known as the "Prince of Darkness" and one of the pioneers of heavy metal music, Osbourne built a decades-long career marked by success, personal setbacks, and incredible comebacks.

His journey from the working-class part of Birmingham to global fame includes the creation of the legendary band Black Sabbath, a solo career full of hits, and a role as a TV star in the reality show The Osbournes.

Ozzy grew up in a poor family and left school early. After various jobs and a short stint in prison for theft, he decided to dedicate himself to music.

In the late 1960s, with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward, he founded the band that would take the name Black Sabbath in 1970.

Their self-titled debut album and later classics like Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Vol. 4 established heavy metal as a genre - with dark riffs, occult themes, and Ozzy's hypnotic vocals.

In 1979, Ozzy was fired from Black Sabbath due to drug and alcohol addiction. Many believed his career was over at the time. However, with the help of his future wife and manager Sharon Osbourne, he launched a solo career that would exceed all expectations.

His first solo album, Blizzard of Ozz (1980), featuring guitarist Randy Rhoads, produced the hits "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley," which became heavy metal evergreens.

Successful albums followed, such as Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, and No More Tears, with constant lineup changes and battles with personal demons, reports Index.hr.

Osbourne is also known for shocking and bizarrely iconic moments – such as the legendary episode when he bit the head off a bat at a concert, which he later explained as a misunderstanding, thinking it was a toy. His life was marked by addiction, but also by attempts at rehabilitation.

In the early 2000s, he became an unexpected reality TV star thanks to MTV's series The Osbournes, which depicted his family's chaotic daily life. The show achieved huge success and solidified his cult status among a new generation of fans.

In 2011, Black Sabbath reunited, and in 2013, they released their comeback album 13, which topped charts worldwide. Tours continued until 2017, when the band finally announced the end of their career with a final performance in their hometown of Birmingham.

Ozzy's health became increasingly fragile – he underwent numerous surgeries, and in 2020, he revealed he had Parkinson's disease. Nevertheless, he continued to create music – his solo album Ordinary Man (2020) and Patient Number 9 (2022) were met with critical acclaim.