Alice Cooper has paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne following the legendary singer's death at the age of 76. The Black Sabbath frontman passed away on July 22, surrounded by family. Cooper, who performed in Cardiff on the same night, dedicated the entire show to Osbourne.
In a statement, Cooper described Osbourne as an "unmatched showman and cultural icon" who earned "immense respect among his peers and from fans around the world." He added: "I always saw Ozzy as a cross between the prince of darkness, which is the persona his fans saw, and the court jester."
Cooper expressed regret at not having known Osbourne better, but noted their past collaborations. Osbourne provided backing vocals on Cooper's 1991 track 'Hey Stoopid', which also featured Slash, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. The two later worked together on 'Wake The Dead' from Cooper's 2008 album 'Along Came A Spider'.
Cooper is set to perform at The O2 in London on July 25 alongside Judas Priest, where further tributes are expected. Osbourne's final show took place at Villa Park just over two weeks before his death, as part of the 'Back To The Beginning' celebration featuring Metallica, Pantera and others.
Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler have also issued individual tributes, with Iommi calling Osbourne "my dear dear friend" and saying "there won't ever be another like him."
