Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne

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Biography

Ozzy Osbourne (born John Michael Osbourne, 3.12.1948)
Ozzy Osbourne is an English heavy metal star and the front man of Black Sabbath. He is often dubbed the Prince of Darkness.

Childhood: Ozzy Osbourne was born in Aston, Birmingham, England. His parents were Jack, a toolmaker at GEC, Lillian, a worker at the car firm Lucas. He also had five siblings who he lived with in a small 2 bedroomed house. As a child he suffered from dyslexia and various other learning disabilities but took part in school plays despite his academic underachievement. He left school at 15 and had various labour jobs including plumbing and working in a slaughterhouse. He was imprisoned for six weeks as a teenager after failing to pay a fine for shoplifting.

Musical career: Ozzy Osbourne began his music career in 1967 with Geezer Butler in a duo called Rare Breed but they broke up after two shows. They reunited in Polka Tulk Blues with guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward but later renamed themselves Earth. However, after a mix up with another band of the same name, they changed it to Black Sabbath in 1969, after the 1963 Italian horror film. The band incorporated horror, gloominess and the occult in their shows and songs. The 'Black Sabbath' song was inspired by a ghostly apparition that was witnessed by Butler after reading an occult book given to him by Ozzy. Their debut and second albums 'Black Sabbath' and 'Paranoid' were certified platinum and they garnered much airplay in the beginning of the career but were initially not so popular with music critics. In 1978, he left the band in favour of a solo porject called 'Blizzard of Ozz'. He soon re-joined, however, at the rest of the band's request but was to leave yet again in 1979 when he was fired for his excessive drug abuse. He was replaced by Ronnie James Dio. In 1980, he reunited The Blizzard of Ozz under the management of Sharon Arden with drummer Lee Kerslake, bassist Bob Daisley, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Randy Rhoads. The self-titled debut was credited just under Ozzy's name and reached number 7 on the UK chart. It also contained his well-known singles 'Crazy Train' and 'Mr Crowley'. He has noted that his second album, 'Diary of a Madman', was his favourite of his albums despite not being one of the best selling. In 1982, guitarist Rhoads was killed in a plane crash piloted by their tour bus driver Andrew Aycock who also died along with the band's hairdresser who was also on board. Ozzy witnessed the incident and subsequently suffered from depression. Bernie Torme replaced Rhoads briefly before Brad Gillis took over. They later released a live tribute album for Rhoads. In 1983, Jake E. Lee joined the band to record third album 'Bark at the Moon', the title track of which became a fan favourite. Lee left in 1987. In 1987, he remembered the fifth anniversary of Rhoads' death with an album of live recordings, 'Tribute', from previous years. In 1988, he appeared in 'The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years' documentary. Zakk Wylde became a new Rhoads replacement who helped record 'No Rest for the Wicked'. The resulting tour saw Ozzy reunite with Geezer Butler on bass and they later released live EP 'Just Say Ozzy'. Butler toured with Ozzy for the next four tours. In 1994, Ozzy was presented with a Grammy for his track 'I Don't Want to Change the World' from live album 'Live & Loud'. Following the release of that album, he announced he would embark on his last tour 'No More Tours' though he returned to touring and recording in 1995 with his album 'Ozzmosis' and tour 'The Retirement Sucks Tour'. Wylde was replaced in 1996 after failing to make a decision on his own musical future. His biggest success of the nineties was Ozzfest first held in Phoenix, Arizona then in Devore, California in 1996. 5 million people have attended the festival since its inception and Ozzy became the first metal star to earn $50 million in merchandise sales. He reunited with the original line-up of Black Sabbath in 1997 and still makes occasional appearances with them. In 2005, he and Sharon were part of the MTV competition show 'Battle for Ozzfest' - a battle of the bands style contest. In 2001, Ozzy released 'Down to Earth' which featured the globally charting track 'Dreamer'. In 2002, he performed 'Paranoid' at the Party at the Palace concert at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. He had his first ever UK number one single in the shape of 'Changes' - a duet he did with his daughter Kelly. In 2005, he released a box set called Prince of Darkness which included live performances, B-sides, demos, singles, duets and some new material. In 2009, Ozzy featured on Slash's single 'Crucify The Dead'. In 2010, as part of the release of his album 'Scream', he held an album signing in Birmingham whereby the first 400 fans recieved wristbands for free access to an intimate show later at the Birmingham Town Hall. In 2011, the original Black Sabbath line up announced that they would reunite for a world tour and an album entitled '13' though Bill Ward dropped out. Ozzy Osbourne: Other career ventures Ozzy Osbourne had his own reality TV show entitled 'The Osbournes' featuring Sharon, Jack and Kelly and it was a major MTV hit. They then hosted the 30th Annual American Music Awards in 2003 which was filled with bleeps from their repeated swearing. In 2008, they hosted the 2008 BRIT Awards. Ozzy has made an appearance in a World of Warcraft commercial. In 2009, he published autobiography 'I Am Ozzy'.

Personal Life: Ozzy Osbourne married his first wife Thelma Riley in 1972 and had two children named Louis and Jessica. He also adopted her son Elliot Kingsley. They later divorced due to his drug abuse and constant touring. He married his manager Sharon Arden and had three children; Aimee, Kelly and Jack; as well as unofficially adopting their friend Robert Marcato. He has six grandchildren. He has properties in both Los Angeles and Buckinghamshire. He has more than 15 tattoos including OZZY across his knuckles which he did himself. He has struggled with drugs and alcohol addictions for most of his life though he is now both clean and sober. His relationship with Sharon was tumultuous with the pair often physically fighting. In 1989, he even dried to strangle her to death after excessive drug taking. In 1982 he was arrested urinating on a memorial while wearing his wife's dress and he was banned from San Antonio for 10 years. In 1984 he was arrested in Memphis for being drunk and disorderly. He has suffered with tremors for several years which he found out in 2005 was related to Parkin Syndrome. In 2003, he had an accident with an all-terrain vehicle where he broke his collarbone, ribs and vertebra. He did, however, subsequently recover.



Biography by Contactmusic.com

From Queen Of Pop To Prince Of Darkness: The Honorific Royalty Of The Music World


Elvis Presley Madonna Ozzy Osbourne

For as long as pop music has been a thing, we've been granting grand titles on some of the titans of the industry. While they'll never have the influence of real royal figures like Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, these artists' influence on popular culture has been nothing short of supreme.

Photo Credit: PixabayPhoto Credit: Pixabay

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Continue reading: From Queen Of Pop To Prince Of Darkness: The Honorific Royalty Of The Music World

Friday The 13th Special: The Five Creepiest Stories Of The Music World


Ozzy Osbourne Mayhem Nine Inch Nails Rolling Stones Amy Winehouse

Happy Friday the 13th to those who love all things strange and sensationalist! Today we thought we'd feed that morbid streak by exploring some of the craziest things that have happened in the music industry over the years. Be warned: It's not for the faint-hearted...

1. Ozzy Osbourne's batty stage antics

Probably one of the craziest true stories in rock, Ozzy Osbourne made headlines in 1982 after biting the head off a bat while on stage at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa during his Diary of a Madman Tour. Somebody had thrown the bat on stage during his performance and he, believing it to be made of rubber, seized the opportunity for a bit of theatrical fun. 

Continue reading: Friday The 13th Special: The Five Creepiest Stories Of The Music World

February Favourites: Ozzy Osbourne Returns, Grimes Unveils A Masterpiece And HMLTD Give Us Life


Ozzy Osbourne King Krule Grimes Tame Impala Nathaniel Rateliff

The second month of the year has gone by so quickly, and with, unfortunately, only a handful of good albums. No matter; February has been about experimentation, raw emotion and pure fun and these six records demonstrate those qualities wonderfully.

HMLTD - West of Eden

These kooky Londoners are one of our favourite new bands at the moment thanks to their addictive debut experimental rock album West of Eden. There's something different in every track and it's so strongly millenial that it's almost a caricature of itself - but that's by no means a bad thing. This is a band who admittedly haven't yet found their sound, but we're happy to listen to them trying to find it.

Continue reading: February Favourites: Ozzy Osbourne Returns, Grimes Unveils A Masterpiece And HMLTD Give Us Life

Upcoming Releases: What Albums Are We Waiting For This Month?


Ozzy Osbourne King Krule La Roux Green Day Tame Impala Grimes

This month looks to be all about long-awaited returns from established artists. These are are seven most eagerly anticipated albums coming up in February 2020 - though we have a feeling these are just the tip of the icerberg...

La Roux - Supervision
(February 7)

It feels like a lifetime since her last album Trouble In Paradise was released, but six years on La Roux is finally here with album three Supervision. Now the solo project of Elly Jackson, we don't know entirely what to expect, though her latest single Automatic Driver gives us positive vibes.

Continue reading: Upcoming Releases: What Albums Are We Waiting For This Month?

Weekly Music Highlights: Ozzy Battles Parkinson's, James Blunt Makes Us Cry And Emo Kids Go Wild For My Chemical Romance


Ozzy Osbourne James Blunt My Chemical Romance

This week has seen some sad news in the lives of Ozzy Osbourne, Ministry, Juice WRLD and James Blunt, but exciting news for 2000s emo kids who managed to get tickets to MCR and for BTS fans who are eagerly awaiting ticket sales for their UK shows. Plus, Adele is set to return with new music very soon...

Music News

We're sending so much love to the Osbourne family this week following Ozzy Osbourne's admission on Good Morning America that he is living with Parkinson's Disease. He credits his daughter Kelly with helping him, literally, get back on his feet and back into the studio, confessing that this time last year things were not looking so positive for the Prince of Darkness. With the upcoming release of his first album in 10 years, Ordinary Man, he's looking forward to getting back on the road.

Continue reading: Weekly Music Highlights: Ozzy Battles Parkinson's, James Blunt Makes Us Cry And Emo Kids Go Wild For My Chemical Romance

Eight Albums We're Looking Forward To In 2020


Ozzy Osbourne Bombay Bicycle Club La Roux Alanis Morissette Grimes The 1975 Tame Impala Green Day

It's a new year and a new decade, so we're hoping it gets off to a good start in the world of music. There are some pretty exciting upcoming releases for 2020, from some of music's biggest legends, so we're confident we won't be left disappointed.

Bombay Bicycle Club - Everything Else Has Gone Wrong
(17 January)

It's been the longest they've ever gone without releasing an album, but six years after UK number one 'So Long, See You Tomorrow', Bombay Bicycle Club return with 'Everything Else Has Gone Wrong'. They also have a new label, Mmm... Records, and if the title single and lead single 'Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)' are anything to go by, it will be another stellar hit.

Continue reading: Eight Albums We're Looking Forward To In 2020

Ozzy Osbourne Postpones 2019 Farewell Tour To Next Year Due To Injury


Ozzy Osbourne

2019 has been a rough year for Ozzy Osborne. After he battled to recuperate from pneumonia last February, he suffered an injury in his home at Los Angeles earlier this month. Unfortunately, this forced him to postpone his Farewell Tour to next February 2020.  

Photo Credit: Persona Stars/Zuma Press/PA ImagesPhoto Credit: Persona Stars/Zuma Press/PA Images

In early February, Ozzy had shared the sad news regarding postponing the dates of the tour on twitter. He had to cancel the New Zealand, Australia, and Japan tours in February as he was battling a serious case of pneumonia. He had stated during that time, that he had been advised by his doctor to be at home for a complete 6 weeks to recover from the bouts of pneumonia. 

Continue reading: Ozzy Osbourne Postpones 2019 Farewell Tour To Next Year Due To Injury

Ozzy Osbourne Accidentally Hosed Down Deaf Fans For Not Dancing


Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath

Ozzy Osbourne once hosed down fans during a concert - before realising they weren't moving to the music because they were deaf.

The Black Sabbath rocker revealed the awkward moment as he reflected on 40 years of touring, and admitted that it was an educational moment for him as he was told how music can be enjoyed without being able to hear it.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, he admitted: "There was one night when I saw that a bunch of people were not moving to the rock & roll ­- and if someone's not moving in the audience and not doing anything, I'll do the show just for that person and I'll start throwing buckets of water at these people.

Continue reading: Ozzy Osbourne Accidentally Hosed Down Deaf Fans For Not Dancing

Ozzy Osbourne Says Zakk Wilde Is 'family'


Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath

Ozzy Osbourne says Zakk Wilde is like "family" to him as they prepare for one last run on the road.

The iconic rocker has announced his final solo world tour - entitled 'No More Tours 2' - and confirmed the guitarist would be back as part of the live line-up, as he brings his career as a live musician to an end.

Speaking to Loudwire, Ozzy said: "Zakk and I are family. He's been with me longer than any other guitar players. He's great and his playing just blows me away. He's so articulate now."

Continue reading: Ozzy Osbourne Says Zakk Wilde Is 'family'

Ozzy Osbourne's Emotional Gig


Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath Tony Iommi

Ozzy Osbourne thought he'd cry during the last Black Sabbath gig.

The legendary rockers played a final homecoming show in Birmingham, England, in February and the 68-year-old frontman was very emotional.

He said: ''It was very emotional. Sharon would be like, 'Say something.' I couldn't speak. Because I thought if I start talking I'll end up in f***ing tears. That's hardly the Prince of Darkness, being seen crying.''

Continue reading: Ozzy Osbourne's Emotional Gig

Ozzy Osbourne - Ozzy Osbourne out and about running errands in Beverly Hills - Los Angeles, California, United States - Tuesday 7th July 2015

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne - Ozzy Osbourne leaving his hotel in Manhattan - Manhattan, New York, United States - Friday 12th December 2014

Ozzy Osbourne

Billy Morrison, Ozzy Osbourne, Tommy Clufetos and Slash - 2014 MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert - Arrivals - Los Angeles, California, United States - Monday 12th May 2014

Billy Morrison, Ozzy Osbourne, Tommy Clufetos and Slash

Ozzy Osbourne - The L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's 'An Evening With Women' event held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel - Show - Beverly Hills, California, United States - Saturday 18th May 2013

Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne

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Ozzy Osbourne

Date of birth

3rd December, 1948

Occupation

Musician

Sex

Male




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