Ozzy Osbourne dies ‘surrounded by love’ aged 76
The singer gave his final live performance with Black Sabbath just two weeks before his death
Ozzy Osbourne has died aged 76, his family have confirmed.
A statement from the legendary Black Sabbath singer’s family said he passed away “surrounded by love” this morning (22 July).
Osbourne’s death comes just two weeks after he gave his final live performance, dubbed Back to the Beginning, at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham.
In a statement, his family said: “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.”
Back to the Beginning saw Osbourne play a short solo set and a set with his Black Sabbath bandmates while seated on a throne. Guests across the day included Metallica, Slayer, Pantera and more alongside a supergroup featuring Guns ‘n’ Roses’ Duff McKagan and Slash, The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst and Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello.
Rolling Stone UK said of the show: “Though confined to his chair, Ozzy writhes and wriggles like a man summoning every last inch of the hell-raising spirit still in him as he bows out with ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Paranoid’. “Go fucking crazy it’s the last song”, he says before the latter and boy do the masses oblige.
“For all the false farewells and goodbyes in his career, there’s something so final about this one that adds a crushing poignancy to the night.”
The concert will be immortalised in a feature-length film to be released in 2016 and titled Ozzy’s Final Bow.
In 2023, Osbourne appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone UK and won The Icon Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards. In the cover feature, he said: “I do count my lucky stars. I don’t know why I’m still here and I do sometimes think I’m on borrowed time. I said to Sharon the other day, ‘What a great fucking life we’ve had and what a great fucking experience.’”
This is a developing story…