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Rock’s wildest wildman: He once said he’d only be remembered for biting the head off a bat – but his marriage to Sharon and a pioneering reality TV show changed all that… the astonishing success of Ozzy Osbourne as he dies aged 76

BBG News

On the night when Ozzy Osbourne dined with the U.S. President, it almost became the most memorable fiasco of his entire career.

Despite the frequent blends of quirky charisma and extraordinary good fortune that seemed to follow him throughout his career, he managed to transform it into a victory. As usual, Ozzy, who passed away at 76 after a prolonged struggle with Parkinson’s disease, was reckless, self-destructive… yet somehow always escaped the consequences.

In 2002, it was naturally unexpected that the heavy metal superstar received an invitation to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, given he was being recognized for his contributions to animal welfare.

Ozzy found it hard to accept this himself, given his and Sharon’s renown for their diverse pet collection, highlighted in their groundbreaking reality TV series The Osbournes. Moreover, he had just aligned with animal advocacy group PETA to fight against the fur trade.

However, Black Sabbath’s original lead singer became well-known for something quite unique: biting the head off a bat during a performance in Iowa, 1982. He claimed it was an intoxicated error – a fan tossed the bat at him, and believing it to be a rubber novelty item, he gnawed on it unknowingly. Upon realizing his mistake, he abruptly ended the show to receive a rabies shot.

Regardless of what else transpires in his life, his epitaph will read: ‘Born on December 3, 1948. Died at an indeterminate time. And he took a bat’s head in his mouth.’ (This version attempts to maintain the original’s tone and structure while simplifying some words for easier understanding.)

It was highly improbable that Ozzy would be attending the dinner as a guest of President George W. Bush and his wife Laura. Despite media reports suggesting he was a ‘recovering alcoholic’, there seemed to be little evidence of this recovery, as he immediately started drinking a bottle of red wine when he sat down with Fox News journalists, consuming it in three large gulps.

As soon as the host introduced himself, Ozzy was already in high spirits for the party. He jumped to his feet, cheered loudly with a “Yee-haw!” before even greeting the 1,800 guests, and then he made his way onto the table and shouted it again.

The video from the night captures Bush’s reaction, saying: ‘Alright, Ozzy.’ Following this, the president can be heard quietly: ‘Perhaps this was a misstep.’

After the intoxicated celebrity slumped into his chair, the president commenced a tribute, saying, “You know what’s special about Ozzy? He’s produced an impressive number of popular albums – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Face In Hell, Black Skies, and Bloodbath In Paradise.” Then he added humorously, “Ozzy, even Mom enjoys your music.

The room exploded with excitement. That evening had a close call, but it was ultimately salvaged. Amidst the chaos just moments prior when he almost got ejected by security, Ozzy unexpectedly became the star of the show.

A couple of months down the line, he performed as an opening act during the festivities marking Queen’s Golden Jubilee. That very evening, Brian May played a solo from the rooftop of Buckingham Palace. Headlining that event were Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson, both members of the Beach Boys.

However, the most unexpected moment of the evening was the powerful echo of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” resounding through the Mall, accompanied by a thunderous roar reminiscent of a distressed bull: “‘I’m done with my woman because she couldn’t understand my mind!’ Many perceive me as strange due to my constant frown!

He was undeniably Ozzy, the rock world’s most unruly character, hailing from Birmingham with a background in working-class culture, heavy drinking, and past imprisonments. His speech, often slurred and laden with profanities, led to much of it being censored on television, with the remainder requiring subtitles for clarity.

Until the very last moment, he continued to be an entertainer in its purest form, delivering his last performance just over three weeks ago on a dark throne intricately adorned with bat’s wings, captivating a wildly enthusiastic crowd of heavy metal devotees at his cherished Villa Park.

Born in Aston, Birmingham, he was one of six children in a house with no inside toilet.

As a child, struggling to read due to undiagnosed dyslexia, I endured frequent corporal punishments from teachers, often receiving blows from their shoes or wooden rulers. In response to this harsh treatment, I found creative ways to express my frustration. For instance, during a metalwork class, I once heated a copper penny with a blowtorch and carefully placed it on the teacher’s desk using tongs, eagerly waiting to see if he would pick it up.

As a fifteen-year-old, he departed without any certifications, leading to multiple dismissals from low-paying positions due to reasons such as theft, absenteeism, or substance abuse.

The only job he truly enjoyed was working the early-morning shift at a butcher’s, as it allowed him to make it to the pub for happy hour. Known for his pranks, he found delight in stashing cattle eyes in his pockets and dropping them into unsuspecting patrons’ beers. Post-lunch drinking sessions led to evenings spent dancing to soul tunes at a club until 5 am. Amphetamines kept him going as he returned to the slaughterhouse for another night shift.

Discharged from the slaughterhouse after assaulting a coworker with an iron rod, causing him to be hospitalized, Ozzy resorted to burglary, pilfering garments and a television from a store. He was knowledgeable enough about fingerprints to don gloves… yet selected a pair with a missing thumb. “Not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed,” commented the officer who apprehended him.

Failing to settle a £40 fine, he received a three-month prison sentence, which he served in the infamous Winson Green Prison of Birmingham.

In 1966, upon his release, he decided to purchase an amplifier on installment and placed a notice in the window of a music store: singer looking for a band for performances. He had no musical skills, but going back to prison was not an option, and he couldn’t think of any other way to spend his time.

At this point, his fortune took a turn for the better and stayed with him. A classmate from his school days, Tony Iommi, was forming a band with some friends, and they required a vocalist. Interestingly, Tony happened to be an exceptionally talented rock guitarist, despite having lost two fingertips in an accident at a sheet metal factory.

Apart from them, the bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward formed a rhythm section that was just as powerfully heavy as another renowned hard rock band from 1960s Birmingham, Led Zeppelin.

Ozzy wasn’t a soft-voiced singer; instead, he was known for his loud, powerful vocals. He disliked the peaceful and hippie-inspired songs popular during that era. However, his booming voice and chaotic stage persona perfectly complemented Iommi’s heavy, ominous blues guitar riffs.

They would refer to themselves as “Earth” and managed to secure their initial performances by unexpectedly showing up at live music venues, ready to play should any band fail to appear.

When fans criticized that their music was excessively loud, aggressive, and demonic, they decided to rebrand with a darker name – Black Sabbath. Their first single, released in 1970, was named Evil Woman. An album followed suit and received negative reviews; Rolling Stone magazine dubbed it as “tedious, wooden nonsense.” This early reception set the stage for Ozzy’s career, with critics consistently expressing disdain for his music.

Instead of composing music primarily for music critics, Black Sabbath was crafting it for men similar to themselves – discontented, rebellious, working-class individuals brimming with energy. The album’s sales skyrocketed to a million copies, establishing them as an act associated with devil worship. When fans implored him to participate in black masses and satanic rituals, Ozzy replied: “Listen, buddy, the only spirits I’m drawn to are those found in whisky, vodka, and gin.

Regardless of their rising fame in America and worldwide tours, which included a top-five hit with “Paranoid” that featured them on Top Of The Pops alongside Cliff Richard and Pan’s People, Sabbath remained deeply rooted in Birmingham, England. Ozzy continued to frequent the same local pubs, and he first encountered his wife Thelma at Birmingham’s Rum Runner nightclub. Following their success in America, they embarked on tours. It was during these American tours that Ozzy discovered pizza, Harvey Wallbangers, groupies, and cocaine.

In a Holiday Inn located in California, he concluded a phone conversation with Thelma (who was carrying their first child), and then made his way to the hotel’s bar.

Ascending to the rooftop pool, I discovered an uncanny scene reminiscent of ancient Rome – a multitude of stunning women, bare as the day they were born, engaging in activities that seemed to resemble celebrations from Caligula’s time. Intimate acts like kissing and group gatherings were prevalent in all directions.

‘I took a puff from a marijuana cigarette, settled into a comfortable armchair surrounded by two women who identify as lesbians, and started to croon “God Bless America”.’

In a rented home situated in Bel Air, the band became notorious for their excessive use of cocaine, which led them to initially title their upcoming album “Snowblind.” However,

To try and reform his life, he returned to England and purchased a rustic estate. However, his attempt at self-improvement failed, and the countryside home came to be infamously known as “Atrocity Manor.

With an intense passion for shotguns, he frequently discharged soft targets like toy animals, store dummies, poultry, and wandering felines. Unfortunately, this hobby strained his marriage and led to his dismissal from Black Sabbath in 1979.

He was saved by Sharon Arden, the child of his former manager Don – a harsh and violent individual, infuriated that he had lost Ozzy to his own daughter. Subsequently, Don unleashed his dogs upon her, leading to her suffering a miscarriage.

Initially, Sharon thought Ozzy might become a star all on his own, an idea she hadn’t previously considered. To start with, they shared drinks and exchanged blows equally.

She remarked, “Our disputes were quite famous.” During a concert, Ozzy would abruptly leave the stage during a guitar solo to argue with me, only to return and complete the performance. It became clear to me that if we continued this way, we’d end up as a couple of alcoholics living in a rundown shack somewhere. So, I decided to quit drinking.

Despite the success of his comeback album, Blizzard of Ozz, which became a global hit, and his continued hard-partying ways during tours, Ozzy once made an embarrassing mistake in Tokyo. After a concert, he climbed into bed with a groupie in their hotel room, not realizing that Sharon was also there. This incident, though amusing to recall later on, was certainly not funny at the time.

In San Antonio, he became excessively intoxicated to the point where Sharon concealed his clothing to prevent him from departing the hotel. Impulsively, he took one of her dresses, embarked on a bar tour, and was apprehended for urinating at the Alamo’s cenotaph – a site regarded as the most hallowed in Texas.

1986 found me going AWOL, leaving Sharon with no choice but to publish a plea in the newspaper: “Heaven knows your location, dear Ozzy. For all I’m aware, you could be in Brazil. I simply want to express – Ozzy, my love, please reach out to me. You know how to get hold of me. I long for your presence.

Following several prolonged quiet periods, he extended an olive branch with a gesture: sending over a shoebox filled with his hair. Later on, she managed to locate him at a drug rehabilitation center in Minneapolis, where he’d baldly shorn his head.

In 1989, excessive partying ended abruptly as Ozzy, having consumed four bottles of vodka, found himself in a heated argument which led him to attempt to choke Sharon. Sharon dialed the police, resulting in his arrest on charges of attempted homicide.

In response to her husband potentially spending 20 years behind bars, Sharon chose to withdraw the accusations. “Such incidents occur,” she stated. However, she emphasized that he would undergo a three-month rehabilitation program, not only for his own sake but also for the welfare of their children, Aimee, Kelly, and Jack.

From hereon, I’ll strive for balance, occasionally slipping into old habits, yet consistently keeping my goal in view. It may not be a perfect journey, but I’m always making an effort to stay on the right path or at least keep it in my line of sight.

In the 1990s, a string of health issues such as a misdiagnosed case of multiple sclerosis caused him to reduce his touring schedule. However, Sharon suggested he initiate OzzFest, a heavy metal music festival, and keep producing music instead.

They later became prominent figures in a pioneering reality TV series, which marked the beginning of this genre, as cameras documented their daily lives at home for extended periods.

The show garnered immense success, netting them $20 million during the first two seasons. Approximately half the time, Ozzy appeared almost oblivious to being recorded, enhancing the humor. His iconic cry of ‘Sha-rrrron?’ echoed globally as a popular phrase.

In 2002, when Sharon received a colon cancer diagnosis, he resorted to alcohol consumption once more. Two years after that, he experienced a severe accident while riding a quad bike, which came dangerously close to taking his life. Remarkably, his bodyguard managed to save him by performing the rescue technique known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), or what is commonly referred to as the “kiss of life.

Two times, my pulse faltered as if it had been snatched away by an unseen hand,” I confessed. “I found myself in the cold embrace of unconsciousness, and within that dreamlike state, a nightmare unfolded. In it, Sharon was no longer mine – she’d moved on, found solace in another man who soared through the skies with his own winged steed.

Just as he regained health, so too did Sharon. Despite the long odds, their marriage managed to survive as well. The threat of cancer taking Sharon made Ozzy realize for the first time just how fortunate he was to be alive and to still have his wife by his side.

He once expressed, in his characteristic awkwardness, that ‘She isn’t like Pamela Anderson or Bo Derek.’ However, when he fell in love with her, she wasn’t thin. Regardless of whether she was the size of ten houses or as slim as three twigs, he would still adore Sharon. It’s not her physical appearance that he cherishes, but rather her soul and character.

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2025-07-23 03:36

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