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- Author, Writing
- Author's title, BBC News World
Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary vocalist of the Black Sabbath band, died on Tuesday at 76 years of age.
“With a sadness that cannot be expressed in words, we reported the death of our beloved Ozzy Osbourne this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love,” his family announced in a statement.
With the death of the British singer, who suffered serious health problems, a whole legend of Heavy Metal is left.
Born in Birmingham on December 3, 1948 in Aston, a working neighborhood of Birmingham, John Michael Osbourne was a pioneer of heavy metal and one of the most eccentric figures of rock.
Nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness”, not only helped forge the sound of the genre, but also his own wild rocker image.
His wife, Sharon Osbourne, and her six children, including the singer and television personality Kelly Osbourne survive.
Sharon, with whom Ozzy was married since 1982, was also his manager and key figure in the relaunch of his career after his departure from Black Sabbath.
Kelly, born in 1984, reached notoriety with her family in reality The Osbournes and consolidated his own career in music and television.
“A true legend”
In his hometown of Birmingham numerous people came to deposit flowers on a bank as a tribute to the singer, while music personalities published condolences messages.
Image source, Getty Images
The Black Sabbath co -founder, Tony Iommi, said: “I can't believe it! My dear friend Ozzy died just a few weeks after our concert in Villa Park”, referring to the last show of the band in Birmingham.
He added that Ozzy's death is “such a heartbreaking news that I can't find the words … Geezer (Butler), Bill (Ward) and I have lost our brother.”
“My condolences are with Sharon and the entire Osbourne family. Rest in peace, Oz. Tony,” he concluded.
The Motörhead metal band, meanwhile, published on social networks a photo of Osbourne with its late leader, Lemmy.
“Ozzy was a pioneer, a guide force for everyone in the hard rock and metal, and also a great person,” they said.
British singer Elton John also confessed his sadness for the news of Osbourne's death.
“He was a great friend and a great pioneer who won a place in the pantheon of the rock gods; a true legend,” he wrote on Instagram.
Of marginality to success
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Osbourne's childhood was marked by poverty, school abandonment and small crimes that led him to spend six weeks in prison.
But Beatles' music changed his life: “It was an incredible explosion of happiness and hope,” he would remember later.
With Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward formed Black Sabbath, whose name was born after watching a poster of the homonymous horror movie.
Your first album, Black Sabbath (1970), opened the way to a series of iconic albums such as Paranoid o Master of Realitywhich sold millions of copies and consolidated a dark and forceful style that marked generations.
But the ascent was accompanied by a self -destructive spiral.
In 1979 he was expelled from the band for his problems with alcohol and drugs, a decision that Osbourne considered unfair: “We were all equally bad,” he said.
In any case, he resurfaced strongly thanks to the support of Sharon Arden, daughter of Sabbath's then manager, with whom he later married and had three children.
His solo career included successful albums such as Blizzard of Ozz y Diary of a Madman.
Telerreality star and its last years
Osbourne starred in scandalous episodes, such as when he bit the head of a bat in full concert or when he urinated in a monument in Texas dressed in a Sharon dress.
In the 2000s he reinvented himself as a Telerreality star with The Osbourneswhich showed the world its chaotic family life.
The series was a success and made it a known figure even outside the musical field.
Image source, Getty Images
In all his career, the “Prince of Darkness” fought against addictions, depression and increasingly serious health problems.
He was diagnosed with Parkinson in 2019 after suffering a fall that aggravated an old column injury, and in his last years the stages stomped.
Even so, he decided to say goodbye in style: on July 5 he offered his latest concert in Villa Park, Birmingham, sitting on a black throne.
Rock legends such as Metallica, Guns N 'Roses and Steven Tyler participated in the recital.
“I am proud of what I have achieved in life. You could not write the story of my life or being the best writer in the world,” he said on one occasion.
Black Sabbath singer had a total of six children: three with Sharon Osbourne and the first three with his previous wife, Thelma Riley.
Ozzy Osbourne will spend history as one of the most influential and unrepeatable artists of Heavy Metal.
Image source, Reuters
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