Ozzy Osbourne: The Madman, The Music, and The Man Behind the Mayhem

Love him or hate him, Ozzy Osbourne forged a trail few others have been able to navigate in rock and roll, and earned the respect of generations of fans. I have heard many of the songs that featured Ozzy Osbourne's rock and roll voice. Going back as far as high school or sitting around in a dorm room in college with friends, the name Ozzy Osbourne brought about conversations of the lawless rock lifestyle, and the wild rock and roll star appetite for partying or behaving with reckless abandon.

Few figures in rock history have lived a life as extreme-- and as enduring-- as Ozzy Osbourne. Known as the "Prince of Darkness," Ozzy first rose to fame in the 1970s as the frontman for Black Sabbath, a band widely credited with inventing heavy metal. With his haunting voice, eerie stage presence, and lyrics drenched in doom, drugs and darkness, Ozzy helped shape a genre that still echoes through arenas today. Songs like "War Pigs," "Iron Man," and "Paranoid" weren't just headbanging anthems-- they became cultural touchtones for generations of metal fans.

Black Sabbath in the 1970s: L-R Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne. Photo credit Chris Walter.

But Ozzy's mysterious and odd behavior didn't stop at the music. He lived--and nearly died-- by the rock and roll rulebook. Tour stories about Ozzy are the stuff of legend, sometimes literally unbelievable. One infamous moment came during a record label meeting in 1981 when, on a dare, he bit the head off a live dove. A year later, on stage in Des Moines, he accidentally repeated the act with a bat tossed on stage by a fan, thinking it was a toy. And who can forget the time he went on a bender and ended up wearing Sharon's dress after being arrested for drunkenly urinating on the Alamo in Texas?

Despite-- or maybe because of-- his wild behavior, Ozzy became a rock icon in his own right when he launched a successful solo career in the 1980s. Backed by incredible guitarists like Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde, his solo albums added new layers to his legacy. His hits like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crawley" cemented his place as one of the greats.

L-R: Kelly, Sharon and Jack flank Ozzy in a photo for The Osbournes television show.

But beyond the antics and anthems, Ozzy's story is also deeply human. As the years went on, and especially in the 2000s, fans got a peek behind the curtain through the hit reality show The Osbournes. We saw a mumbling, lovable family man trying to keep it together in a house full of chaos and barking dogs. His devotion to his wife Sharon, who also managed his career, was unwavering-- even through countless ups and downs. She was his anchor when his health began to falter, especially after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2020.

In recent years, Ozzy had became a quieter figure, no less loved but clearly slowed down. He canceled tours, underwent multiple surgeries, and admitted he couldn't tour like he used to. And yet, even as his body failed him, his spirit never fully dimmed. He continued to make music, release albums, and connect with fans from afar.

Ozzy's last concert, titled "Back to the Beginning," took place in his hometown of Birmingham, England, on July 5, 2025. It was a farewell show for both Ozzy Osbourne as a solo artist and the band Black Sabbath, which he co-founded. Ozzy performed from a throne on stage due health issues. He passed away 17 days later, on July 22.

Ozzy performs his last show July 5 in Birmingham.

Osbourne will always be remembered as a man who roared through life at full volume--but also someone who, in the end, showed us vulnerability, loyalty, and love. Behind the eyeliner, tattoos, and songs was a human being who never stopped being grateful for his fans, band mates, and family that saved his life more than once.

What is your favorite Ozzy memory-- was it a song, a scandal, or a scream? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great weekend.   Rob

TheRockandRollProfessor.com