On Tuesday, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons sat down with NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz to discuss Ozzy Osbourne‘s legacy and their longtime friendship and intertwined early careers in the music industry. Asked how he remembers the BLACK SABBATH singer, Gene said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, I remember the man. In 1974, we were both trying to forge our paths and we actually played on the same bill. And I will tell you that the masses, the fans are grieving. What can you say? It’s just broken hearts. And when I tell you my heart, my prayers and millions of others’ to Sharon and the kids.

“People think of him as the Prince Of Darkness and on stage, of course, this huge persona, a giant, but at the same time, [he was] a loving father and a dedicated husband,” Gene continued.

“You can say whatever you want about Ozzy. There never was an Ozzy before Ozzy,” Simmons added. “You can’t really point to anybody and say, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s where he came from.’ Scientists call that a singularity, an anomaly. He was just kind of born Ozzy, and as far as I know, his entire life — to thine own self be true, the Greeks say. Ozzy was always Ozzy — through disco, through whatever musical genres there were, Ozzy was always Ozzy all the way to the end.”

Reflecting on Ozzy‘s final performance, which took place on July 5 at the “Back To The Beginning” event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, Gene said: “It was shocking to see him on his throne, with everybody paying tribute — as well they should — to SABBATH. There wouldn’t have been METALLICA and lots of other bands. And Ozzy was just giving it all. And you couldn’t tell — you couldn’t tell. And a week later, devastating [news about his death]. I mean, the fans, my social media and my phone’s been off the hook. People are just crying. They’re just devastated. What can you say?”

Gene also talked about his initial introduction to BLACK SABBATH‘s music, saying: “My first impression of SABBATH was a full-page ad in the back of Rolling Stone [magazine], and it said, ‘BLACK SABBATH: Louder Than LED ZEPPELIN.’ And I went, ‘Oh, yeah. That’s the coolest of the cool.’ And media being what it is, it promotes everybody. But then when you see SABBATH, it just had, certainly at the time — there was nothing like that on stage. And. When you saw Ozzy running around on stage, you’re thinking, ‘This is somebody who should be committed,’ just a crazy man.

“I’ve never read [a review] or saw a SABBATH show ever where you got the sense that Ozzy was just going through the paces and, ‘Oh, boy. Here’s the song. You want the greatest hits,'” Gene continued. “They never played the game, the ‘I love you. You’re the only one for me. You broke my heart,’ you know, those lyrics, which are —let’s face it — they’re not true.

“People don’t realize that Ozzy, though he didn’t play an instrument, those are his melodies,” Simmons added. “That’s him writing melodies and lyrics and crafting that sound, that enormous guitar that [Tony] Iommi has that just shook the heavens, the guitar that ruled the world.

“Ozzy, there never was one like him and probably never will be.”

Also paying tribute to Ozzy was Gene‘s bandmate, KISS co-founder Paul Stanley, who wrote in a post on X: “We have lost a legend. From SABBATH to ‘Blizzard’ and onward Ozzy has impacted countless bands and that will not end.

“KISS was humbled to be an opening band for SABBATH in the mid 70’s.

“Through decades I’ve known him, Ozzy has always been a kind and very funny soul. Fly high now.”

Ozzy died Tuesday morning (July 22),his family announced 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. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time,” the family said.

No cause of death was given, but Osbourne had battled a number of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson’s disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night fall in 2019.

At the “Back To The Beginning” concert, Ozzy and the rest of BLACK SABBATH performed four songs for more than 40,000 people in the stadium and 5.8 million more on a livestream. Ozzy also played a five-song solo set while seated in a bat-adorned throne.