Don’t they ever have to worry?

Don’t you ever wonder why?

It’s a part of me that tells you

Oh, don’t you ever, don’t ever say die

Never Say Die (1978)

by Black Sabbath

The rock world suffered a tragedy this week. Black Sabbath frontman turned iconic solo performer, Ozzy Osbourne passed away on Tuesday July 22. Just a few weeks ago he headlined a massive goodbye concert in his hometown of Birmingham, England.

The heavy metal pioneer announced he had Parkinson’s Disease in 2020. With a history of headline grabbing behavior, he was often the target of conservative activists. To metalheads like myself, he was a larger than life hero, giving a middle finger to the establishment. His dark, moody lyrics may have garnered the ire of parents groups, but came across to fans as more than a little tongue in cheek with a wink and a nod to the audience. He turned that dynamic, if somewhat addled personality, into TV gold with “The Osbournes.”

In his offstage life he was also a dog lover. He publicly mourned the loss of his 15-year companion Rocky the Rockstar when he passed away a few years ago. His dogs also made frequent appearances in his magazine spreads and, of course, on the show.

To me, personally, Ozzy was a fixture. From my earliest days of listening to music, there was Black Sabbath and his early solo work with the equally iconic Randy Rhoads. It was a soundtrack to my teenage rebellion, an inspiration to my rockstar dreams when I played in bands, and the beat that propelled me through tough workouts and long runs. There are countless shirtless singers with their heavy mascara stalking across stages these days, but none will ever match the original Prince of Darkness. Long live Ozzy!

John “Ozzy” Osbourne 1948-2025

Rest In Peace