Bandmates and fans pay tribute to Black Sabbath singer

Music stars, fans and former bandmates have paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, who has died at the age of 76.

Black Sabbath have “lost our brother”, said the band’s co-founder Tony Iommi, while bassist Geezer Butler remembered their final gig and drummer Bill Ward shared an old photo of them together.

The music icon’s death on Tuesday came less than three weeks after his band played their farewell gig in his home city of Birmingham.

“He loved what he did, he loved music, he loved playing together, and I’m so glad we had the opportunity of getting together again to do the [farewell] show,” Iommi told BBC Radio 4’s Today on Wednesday.

“It was brilliant being with all the guys again, and the atmosphere, and it was brilliant for Ozzy because he really wanted to do that, he felt at home there and it was good for all of us.”

Osbourne, known for energetic and controversial live shows, inspired a generation of musicians.

“It’s impossible to put into words what Ozzy Osbourne has meant to Metallica,” the band said in a statement on X. “Hero, icon, pioneer, inspiration, mentor, and, most of all, friend are a few that come to mind.”

Henry Rollins, former frontman of hardcore band Black Flag, said it was “rare that somebody can be so synonymous” with a specific musical genre.

“But if you want to talk about heavy metal, first up it’s Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. Everyone else comes after.”

US rock band Aerosmith called him “our brother in rock”, sending their love to “the millions around the world who felt his fire”.

Osbourne’s bandmates in Black Sabbath all shared separate tributes on social media.

Drummer Bill Ward looked back at their time together and said: “Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls? No, you’re forever in my heart.”

Bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler wrote: “Goodbye dear friend. Thanks for all those years – we had some great fun. Four kids from Aston – who’d have thought, eh?”

On 5 July, the self-styled “prince of darkness” performed in Birmingham supported by many of the musicians he had inspired, including Metallica and Guns N’ Roses.

Billy Corgan, lead singer of The Smashing Pumpkins – one of the many bands that performed alongside them – said: “Some of the biggest musical artists in the world travelled from all over the world to be there literally to celebrate the legacy of this band.

“It’s one of the greatest musical moments of my life,” added Corgan, who spoke to BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight.

“For him to have been that close to death on July 5 and still get up there and perform like he promised… Wow! That puts him in a category of his own,” Sammy Hagar, former vocalist of Van Halen, who also played at the farewell concert, wrote on Instagram.

AC/DC posted that Osbourne’s death was a “great loss to all that loved him”, while Sir Elton John posted on Instagram: “So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away.

“He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend.

“He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”

Foo Fighters wrote that “Rock and Roll would not be as loud or as fun” without Osbourne; while Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant said he had “truly changed the planet of rock”.

US pop star Lady Gaga took to the stage in an Ozzy Osbourne T-shirt as she ended her first Mayhem Ball show in San Francisco on Tuesday.

“We’ll miss you Ozzy”, she said, as Osbourne’s song Crazy Train played in the background.

And during a concert in Nashville, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin led a rendition of Changes by Black Sabbath in tribute to the heavy metal star.

“OK Ozzy we love you, wherever you’re going, thank you for everything”, he said after playing the tune on a piano.

US rock singer Alice Cooper dedicated his show in Cardiff on Tuesday to Osbourne, and said in a statement: “The whole world is mourning Ozzy tonight. Over his long career, he earned immense respect among his peers and from fans around the world as an unmatched showman and cultural icon.”

Billy Idol said Osbourne “opened musical doorways for people like me at a time when we were very young and looking for inspiration”, while Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong posted a photo of the singer on Instagram and wrote: “No words. We love you Ozzy.”

Kiss frontman Gene Simmons told BBC Breakfast: “I know that, right now, millions of fans around the world are crying and shocked, and my heart goes out to Sharon and the family and the fans.

“There were no airs about him – he’s met kings queens, political leaders, I think it’s fair to say there was never an Ozzy Osbourne before Ozzy, and there will be another Ozzy. He was a unique, loveable person.”

Yungblud, who performed a cover of Changes at the farewell concert with Black Sabbath in Birmingham just weeks ago, hailed Osbourne as a “legend” and said “I didn’t think you would leave so soon”.

Announcing the star’s death on Tuesday, his family said in a statement: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.”

London metal band Iron Maiden posted their own tribute online, saying Osbourne had “helped shape heavy metal as we know it and we will be forever grateful to Black Sabbath for forging the path that so many followed”.

Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, who performed at the star’s recent final gig, wrote: “We all loved him dearly. I’ll miss him as a friend and a pillar of the spirit of rock n roll.”

He added: “But I’m so happy Ozzy had that last show that we all could share with him, it truly meant the world to one of the greatest of all time.”

Others shared fond memories of Osbourne’s larger-than-life character.

Variety magazine’s senior entertainment editor Jem Aswad recalled the first time he met Osbourne, he was “nervous” to meet the prince of darkness.

“It was just this sort of really bizarre scene,” Aswad told the BBC.

Osbourne entered the room near noon in a bathrobe, having “just woken up”, wearing loads of jewellery and accessories and “a lot of gold”, Aswad said, though adding that Osbourne was “perfectly nice, perfectly friendly”.

Meanwhile, fans laid flowers at a mural for the band in Birmingham, and gathered at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

“Osbourne was more than a rock legend – he was a cultural icon who reshaped music and defied expectations,” said Ana Martinez, the venue’s producer.

Black Sabbath were pioneers in the heavy metal genre of music, writing classic tracks like Paranoid, War Pigs and Iron Man.

After leaving the band in 1979 over rising tensions with its other members, Osbourne had a lengthy solo music career releasing more than a dozen albums. His debut single released the next year, Crazy Train, is arguably one of his most famous songs.

In the 2000s, his wild image was transformed thanks to the MTV reality show The Osbournes – which portrayed the star as the well-meaning, frequently befuddled patriarch of an unruly household.

Osbourne is survived by his wife Sharon and six children, three from each of his two marriages.

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