Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath whose 'Prince of Darkness' persona made him one of rock's most iconic figures, has died aged 76. A statement from his family confirmed his passing, saying he was surrounded by love. No cause of death was given, though Osbourne had faced various health issues in recent years, including a form of Parkinson's disease and multiple spinal surgeries.
Born John Michael Osbourne in Aston, Birmingham, in 1948, he endured a difficult childhood marked by poverty and sexual abuse. He later served time in jail for burglary. Osbourne found his calling in music, co-founding Black Sabbath with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. Their heavy, industrial sound revolutionised rock, with albums such as Paranoid and Master of Reality becoming cornerstones of heavy metal.
Osbourne's career was punctuated by notorious incidents, most famously biting the head off a dead bat during a 1982 concert in Des Moines, Iowa. He also admitted to biting the heads off two doves during a record label meeting. Despite his wild reputation, he found mainstream success as a solo artist with hits like Bark at the Moon and later as a reality TV star on The Osbournes alongside wife Sharon and their children.
His death comes less than three weeks after his final performance at the Back to the Beginning concert on 5 July, where he reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates for the first time since 2005. Addressing the crowd, Osbourne said: “I've been laid up for six years, and you've got no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Osbourne is survived by his wife Sharon, their children Aimee, Kelly and Jack, as well as two children from his first marriage, Jessica and Louis. His legacy as the 'Godfather of Heavy Metal' remains indelible.
