Fans of Ozzy Osbourne have shared their memories of the Black Sabbath frontman, describing him as unexpectedly self-effacing, hilarious and generous. The Prince of Darkness, who rose to fame with the pioneering heavy metal band, is remembered by those who met him as a humble and approachable figure, far removed from his stage persona.
Liz Evans, who interviewed Ozzy for Kerrang! magazine in 1997, recalled meeting him in a Paris hotel. “He proceeded to drink gallons of Diet Coke, and take the piss out of himself. He was the least pretentious rock star I ever met,” she said. Evans noted his “gorgeous twinkling quality” and his willingness to admit his dependence on his wife, Sharon.
James from Cambridge attended Ozzfest 2002 at Donington as his first gig. He described Ozzy as the show stealer, saying, “This old guy had more energy than the younger bands put together.” James credited Ozzy with not only inventing metal with Sabbath but also supporting the genre throughout his career.
Nick Payne from St Albans met Ozzy in a hotel bar after a 1983 concert in Sheffield. “He was an absolute gentleman,” Payne said, recalling how Ozzy bought drinks for everyone and signed their foreheads with a Sharpie. “What an absolute legend of a man – definitely one of a kind.”
Van Norris from Hampshire encountered Ozzy and guitarist Randy Rhoads outside a venue in the early 1980s. “It was like sitting with a mate’s older brother, shooting the breeze for 20 minutes,” he said. Norris lamented that younger generations only know Ozzy from The Osbournes TV show, missing his heyday as “the funniest and most disarming of all of the 1980s rock gods.”
