Remembering The Prince of Darkness
Ozzy Osbourne performing live during his solo career in the 80's. Ted Van Pelt via Flickr.
The Prince of Darkness, The Wizard of Ozz and The Godfather of Heavy Metal, are some of the many nicknames attributed to the legend, Ozzy Osbourne. Throughout his life, Osbourne changed the course of music as a whole, pioneering such an intense sound that caused many people to fall in love with the thrill of his heavy, fast-paced music. He had undoubtedly impacted millions of people during his life, and will continue to do so in his death.
On July 22, Osbourne passed away at 76 due to an “out of hospital” cardiac arrest. It was also noted that Osbourne's five-year battle with Parkinson’s disease was an additional contributing factor to his passing.
Osbourne’s death was just two weeks after thousands of fans crowded the city of Birmingham, U.K., with many more having tuned in online to witness Osbourne give one final performance, his first performance in almost seven years.
Osbourne is one of the very few musicians that was famous as a solo act after having success with a band. Osbourne was the frontman of the English band that pioneered the heavy metal genre, Black Sabbath.
Breaking out in the 1970s, Black Sabbath’s music portrayed sounds that were loud and heavy, while their lyrics often had dark and brooding themes. Darkness became Sabbath’s main theme, making them controversial amongst many but intriguing to most. Their use of religious symbols and gothic vibe often caused them to face a lot of backlash, not that it ever held them back.
Black Sabbath’s music has withstood the test of time, with songs such as “Paranoid”, “War Pigs” and “Iron Man” still being wildly popular today. In 1979, Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath by fellow band members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward due to his poor performance in the band, fuelled by issues with substance abuse. However, Sabbath was at its statistical peak during their original Osbourne era, when their most popular and impactful songs were written and produced.
During the 80s, Osbourne broke into the start of his successful solo career with his debut album, “The Blizzard of Ozz,” which featured hit songs such as “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley.” Osbourne continued to cultivate his wild image throughout the 80s despite his struggles with addiction, rehab and continuous backlash from conservatives who felt as though rock music was instilling a devil-worshipping mindset in the youth.
During the early 2000s, Osbourne reconnected with Black Sabbath to create more music and go on multiple tours, drawing in lifelong fans as well as newer ones. In total, Osbourne created 13 studio albums, played over 2,500 shows and toured actively for over five decades.
It was also well known that Osbourne was a family man. In 2002, the reality TV show “The Osbournes” premiered. This program followed the domestic life of Osbourne, his wife Sharon and two of their children. The show was successful as it showcased the comic appeal of the Prince of Darkness completing humdrum tasks. Oddly enough, this show positively impacted his career as it made many people view him more as a person than as a satanic rock-lord.
Over the years, Osbourne’s wild lifestyle seemingly caught up to him. In 2020, Osbourne publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, even though he had been privately dealing with the disease since 2003. Parkinson’s had an impact on Osbourne’s speech, mobility and ability to perform.
There is a reason that Ozzy Osbourne is a household name. He was living proof that legends walk amongst us, that music is the universal language that connects us all. Osbourne was a pioneer, a generational talent and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. His music will continue to play in the cars of fathers everywhere and in the headphones of their children on their walk to class.
With that being said, the next time you’re listening to thrash, death metal, speed metal or anything in between, make sure you thank Black Sabbath and Ozzy. Without them, the genre of heavy metal would not exist, many of your favorite artists would not exist and maybe your favorite song wouldn’t even exist.