In a new interview with Ernest Skinner of Canada’s Border City Rock Talk, HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris spoke about the recent passing of legendary BLACK SABBATH vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, we’ve all been sad. He’s been most probably the idol back in the days for everybody. BLACK SABBATH was always on the ‘A list’.
“I remember back in the days, at the age of 13, 14, banging my head in the rock disco. Back in the days we had rock discos all over Germany, and yeah, BLACK SABBATH was a [big] part of [my musical upbringing] with DEEP PURPLE and everything.”
Referencing Ozzy‘s death, Andi continued: “Sad story, but fortunately I got to know him back in 1999 when we had a chance to do a few festivals and concerts with BLACK SABBATH reunited with Ozzy. And he was a nice guy. He was always passing me backstage, ‘Hey, Andi,’ and going on and small-talk shit. But you could see it’s a nice guy. Nothing demonic or something like that about it; [he was] just a nice guy. But back in the days, I remember I was really worried about him because they always carried him off stage and they carried him on stage. He had his tent, like, five, six meters backstage, where he had oxygen and stuff like that. And he laid down during the shows to relax a little bit and go on. Back in the days, 1999, I already thought, ‘Well, he doesn’t make it any longer, I think, because he is, like, health-wise a wreck.’ But he made it another 25, 26 years. So I’m happy.”
Ozzy died the morning of 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.
Ozzy‘s death came a little more than two weeks after he took the stage for his final performance with BLACK SABBATH at Villa Park in the band’s original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom. They 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.
Formed in Birmingham in 1968, BLACK SABBATH is widely recognized as one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, with a career spanning decades and over 75 million albums sold worldwide. Their impact on the genre remains as significant today as it was in the early 1970s, with their music shaping generations of metal musicians.
Ozzy‘s family reality television show “The Osbournes” won a 2002 Primetime Emmy.
In 2006, Osbourne and the other members of the original BLACK SABBATH were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Ozzy was also inducted into the Rock Hall as a solo artist in 2024.
Osbourne won several Grammys, including one in 1993 for his solo song “I Don’t Want To Change The World”.
Ozzy and Sharon started their annual tour — Ozzfest — in 1996 after he was rejected from the lineup of what at the time was the top touring music festival, Lollapalooza. The first traveling version of Ozzfest in 1997 included MARILYN MANSON and PANTERA as part of the lineup.
Osbourne leaves behind his wife, three children from his first marriage (including an adopted son from his first wife’s previous relationship),and three with Sharon: Jack, Kelly and Aimee.
