THE BEAST

The world has lost one of its loudest, wildest, and most beloved voices. Ozzy Osbourne — legendary frontman of Black Sabbath, groundbreaking solo artist, and unlikely reality TV icon — died Tuesday at the age of 76. His family confirmed the news in a statement, saying, “He was with his family and surrounded by love.” No cause of death has been disclosed.

This is a day I’ve dreaded for a long time — but even now, it doesn’t feel real.

When I first saw people posting “RIP Ozzy” on Facebook, I thought it had to be a joke. Maybe they meant he was retiring for good. But no — this time, it’s real. It’s painfully, devastatingly true. We didn’t just lose a musician — we lost a titan. A king. The foundation of heavy metal.

The very essence of this genre began with those first Sabbath riffs and Ozzy’s haunting voice whispering,
“What is this that stands before me?”
That line still gives me chills every time I hear it in my head.

I’ll never forget the day I got my first Ozzy cassette — Speak of the Devil. I think it was 1987 or so. I was very young, just starting to dip my toes into heavy music — bands like Mötley Crüe and Iron Maiden. But Ozzy? He felt like something… different. There was a mystique, something almost scary about him. I’d seen stories on TV — wild headlines about biting bats and Satanic panic. I remember thinking, “Who is this guy? And what’s he all about?”

One day I was over at my babysitter’s house, and her boyfriend had this stack of Ozzy and Sabbath tapes next to his stereo. I asked what Black Sabbath was — and who Ozzy was — and he just laughed and said, “That’s grown-up stuff, little kid. You’re not ready for that yet. Keep listening to your Mötley Crüe.”

Of course, that only made me want it even more.

So one day, my mom took me to the record store. I had some allowance saved up from chores, and I went straight to the Ozzy section. I was flipping through the tapes — Bark at the Moon, Diary of a Madman — and then I saw it. That iconic cover of Speak of the Devil. Ozzy, with his glowing eyes and vampire fangs. I was hooked.

It was on sale for like six bucks. Double album on one cassette. Done. I bought it, got in the car, popped it into my Walkman, and put on my headphones… and the intro to Symptom of the Universe blasted into my ears.

In that moment, I was gone. Taken to another world — Ozzy’s world. The raw energy, the crowd noise, the banter between songs… it was like nothing I’d ever heard before. That cassette changed me. It was more than music — it was a gateway into a whole new universe.

Years later, my teenage self went to see him live for the first time, and I never looked back. I went to every Ozzy show I could from then on — solo tours, Ozzfests, Black Sabbath reunions… whatever it was, if Ozzy was in town, I was there. It was everything.

"Let me see your fucking cigarette lighters!" he’d yell — then laugh that legendary Ozzy laugh.
God, I can still hear it.

Ozzy was born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, in Birmingham, England. In 1968, alongside Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, he co-founded Black Sabbath and changed music forever. Their heavy, doomy sound and dark lyrics were the birth cry of heavy metal. Ozzy’s voice was the soul of it.

After being fired from Sabbath in ’79, he launched a solo career that exploded with Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, featuring the late, great Randy Rhoads. Those albums didn’t just rock — they became essential. “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” “Over the Mountain” — these songs were anthems of a generation.

And then came the final chapter — the unexpected but unforgettable reality TV era. The Osbournes on MTV showed us a totally different Ozzy: the chaotic dad, the lovable oddball. It made him more human — but the music was always at the core.

Just a few weeks ago, on July 5, Ozzy reunited with Sabbath one last time for a livestreamed farewell concert in Birmingham. It was pure magic. Watching him sing Mama, I’m Coming Home brought me to tears. A part of me knew what he meant. I think he knew too. He looked out at his fans like a man saying goodbye — and I’ll never forget it.

Ozzy, we will miss you more than words can say.

I wouldn’t be doing what I do today without you. I wouldn’t have my radio show, my PR work, my metal fest… any of it. I think about that every single day — every time I hit play on a heavy song, pick up my guitar, email a band, or do an interview on my show.

You didn’t just change music.
You changed me.
You changed all of us.

Ozzy is survived by his wife Sharon, their children Kelly, Jack, and Aimee — and an army of fans across the globe who will carry his voice and legacy forever.

Rest in Power, Ozzy Osbourne.
The world is darker, quieter, and far less fun without you.

- Zach Moonshine

More tributes and reflections to come.