During an appearance on the latest episode of the “Beardo & Weirdo” podcast, hosted by FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael and comedian Craig Gass, SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer John Dolmayan spoke about legendary BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne who died late last month at the age of 76. Regarding where he was when he found out about Ozzy‘s passing, John said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “ I was probably setting up for Comic-Con and the condolence texts started to come in to me. And first of all, I didn’t know anybody knew what my feelings were towards Ozzy or the family, and I didn’t know what they were talking about, because I was setting up for Comic-Con in San Diego, and then I looked on Instagram and, of course, it’s the barrage of [posts about Ozzy]…”
John continued: “You always think, like, ‘Okay, maybe it’s false,’ because it was so soon after the last show that [Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH] did that it was, like, ‘Okay, maybe this is bullshit,’ or, ‘Maybe he went to the hospital. Hopefully he’s okay.’ And then I got the confirmation from my manager.”
Reflecting on his initial reaction to the news of Ozzy‘s death, John said: “It’s one of those things where you know that he is older and he had a lot of health issues over especially the last five years. And I always feel like no matter what it is, the feelings that we have about somebody that passed are the feelings where we’re dealing with the fact that we are also mortal and we only have a certain amount of time left. I try to reflect more on the amazing times that I had with somebody, ’cause they’re gone. And the only thing left are the memories you have of them. And I try not to get sad, but more uplifted by the fact that, number one, I was lucky enough to know him. Number two, he made a bunch of incredible music. [Ozzy and his wife and manager Sharon] created a really cool and fun tour [Ozzfest] that is a staple from many people’s youths and a fond memory for them, whether they were attending or where they were performing on it. Tens of thousands of people have positive memories from those shows. And he was a big influence on all the members of SYSTEM OF A DOWN, and we’re all saddened in our own way. I know Daron [Malakian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist/vocalist] in particular was really grief-stricken by it and cried many times. He’s a much more sensitive than I am when it concerns things like this. I look at it in a more pragmatic way. Life is finite. We’re all gonna die. And my kids are gonna have to experience this one day. And my loved ones are gonna have to deal with the loss of me one day, and all these things. And we’re all trying not to get too saddened by it, but you have your moments where you think, like, ‘Fuck, I wish I had spent a little bit more time.’ Or we kind of lost touch for a long time, ’cause SYSTEM went one way and then we broke up, then we got back together and you have kids and all these things. But I still keep in contact with [Ozzy and Sharon‘s son] Jack, and I did reach out to Jack, who I look at as kind of a little brother, and I sent him a private message of condolences. And he responded right away.”
Dolmayan added: “So, the world is saddened by it and the fans are saddened by it, but there is a private matter here. These people lost their father, and Sharon lost her husband of four decades or however long they were married, and they’re the ones that are going to have to grieve, and we have to give our sympathies to and our support to, if they need it.”
Asked if he remembers hearing BLACK SABBATH‘s or Ozzy‘s music for the first time, John said: “I think I actually heard [a solo album from] Ozzy before I heard SABBATH, if my memory serves me correctly. And it was the live album [‘Tribute’], the one with [a photo of] Ozzy lifting [late guitarist] Randy Rhoads off the ground. That was the first time I heard any of Ozzy‘s solo career. But I think maybe I’d heard one or two SABBATH songs before that. This was also before I played drums. I didn’t start playing till I was 15, and I think I was like 13 or 12 around that time. It’s a little foggy, ’cause the years go by pretty quick and we can’t remember everything.”
Ozzy died on July 22 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate also reportedly said the 76-year-old musician suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease.
A little over a month ago, Osbourne reunited with the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — for what was his final performance at the “Back To The Beginning” charity concert in their original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom.