Ozzy Osbourne, born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, is a British singer and songwriter. He first gained prominence in the late 1960s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, pioneering a genre-defining sound with his unique and distinctive vocals.
Ozzy Osbourne Facts
- Ozzy Osbourne, born as John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, is a native of Birmingham, England.
- He rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, which was formed in 1968.
- Known for his distinctive voice and charismatic stage presence, Ozzy was a central figure in the development of the heavy metal genre.
- In 1979, due to his drug and alcohol abuse, Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath, after which he launched a successful solo career.
- His debut solo album, “Blizzard of Ozz,” was released in 1980 and featured some of his most memorable songs, like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley.”
- Ozzy Osbourne is known for his wild off-stage antics, the most notorious of which occurred in 1982 when he bit off the head of a live bat thrown onstage during a concert.
- His nickname is the “Prince of Darkness,” which is a testament to his influence on heavy metal music and his gothic image.
- Despite his dark image, Osbourne has a soft spot for animals. He and his wife, Sharon Osbourne, are known to have many pets in their home, including dogs, cats, and exotic animals.
- In the 2000s, Ozzy Osbourne gained a new generation of fans when he and his family starred in the reality TV show “The Osbournes,” which aired on MTV.
- Osbourne has been married twice and has six children. His children with Sharon – Aimee, Kelly, and Jack – are quite well-known due to their appearances on “The Osbournes.”
- He has battled with addiction and mental health issues throughout his life. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, which he publicly revealed in 2020.
- Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Black Sabbath in 2006.
- In 2013, Black Sabbath released their final studio album, “13,” which was their first with Osbourne since 1978’s “Never Say Die!”
- Ozzy Osbourne has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist, his most recent being “Ordinary Man,” which came out in 2020.
- Osbourne has won numerous awards throughout his career, including a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1994 for the song “I Don’t Want to Change the World.”
- Ozzy is dyslexic, a learning disorder he’s struggled with since childhood.
- He is one of the few artists to have top 40 songs in each of the last four decades.
- Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads, his guitarist for the first two solo albums, are credited with creating the distinctive heavy metal sound.
- Despite his success, Osbourne has often been plagued with controversy, from accusations of promoting suicide to lawsuits from former band members.
- Ozzy has credited his wife, Sharon, as the driving force behind his solo success. She took over as his manager after he was fired from Black Sabbath and is widely credited with reviving his career.
- Ozzy Osbourne was arrested for attempted burglary as a teenager, landing him a short stint in prison.
- He is known for his distinctive tattoos, including “Ozzy” across his knuckles, which he did himself while in prison.
- Despite his dark and often intense stage persona, Osbourne has often described himself as a “peace-loving guy.”
- He was a playable character in the 2008 video game “Guitar Hero: World Tour.”
- Ozzy has a star on the Birmingham Walk of Stars as well as the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- He had a very public falling out with guitarist Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, resulting in a lawsuit over the use of the band’s name.
- Osbourne once broke his neck in a quad bike accident in 2003, which forced him to take a break from his music career.
- He has undergone genome sequencing to better understand how he has survived decades of substance abuse. The results revealed some unique genetic mutations.
- Ozzy Osbourne was the first heavy metal star to have his own comedy roast, “The Comedy Central Roast of Ozzy Osbourne,” aired in 2010.
- He released his first and only Christmas song, a duet with Jessica Simpson, titled “Winter Wonderland” in 2008.