Ozzy Osbourne a ‘dear friend and a huge trailblazer' says Elton John as friends, fans share memories and condolences
death of Black Sabbath frontman and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer
Ozzy Osbourne.
The legendary English heavy metal singer, also known as 'the Prince of Darkness,' was 76.
'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,' Sharon Osbourne wrote in a statement signed by his immediate family.
Tributes immediately began pouring in for the star: 'We go way back and it was a real honor to watch him get inducted into the
@rockhall
last year,' said his fellow hall of famer Flavor Flav.
Man,,, real heart broken over the passing of OZZY OSBOURNE,,, we go way back and it was a real honor to watch him get inducted into the
@rockhall
last year. Sending my love and prayers to Sharon and his kids and whole family. RIP 🤍
pic.twitter.com/YVKpAz6FKg
'He was hysterically funny, he was kind, he was a friend. Nobody controlled a crowd like him. I love you Ozzy. Forever,' Danny Deraney, Osbourne's former publicist, wrote in a post.
The news I never wanted to hear.
Growing up a die hard Sabbath and Ozzy fan, you would be lying if I would one day work with one of my idols for 6 years.
He was hysterically funny, he was kind, he was a friend. Nobody controlled a crowd like him. I love you Ozzy. Forever.
pic.twitter.com/8UTmi46fsA
Heavy metal band Metallica also posted a photo with Osbourne on X, with a broken heart in the caption.
💔
pic.twitter.com/ojOksUPkKi
Singer-songwriter Elton John called Osbourne 'a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods' in a
tribute on social media
.
Osbourne was one of the funniest people the British legend has ever met, he said, adding he sends his love and condolences to Osbourne's family.
A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)
Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones reflected fondly on Osbourne's last live performance in Birmingham, England on July 6 in a
post on social media
, addding he was 'so very sad' to learn of the trailblazer's death.
Actor Danny Trejo shared a photo with Osbourne, sending heartfelt remarks to his wife and kids.
🖤 Rest in Power, Ozzy 🖤
Today we lost one of the wildest souls to ever walk this Earth. Ozzy wasn't just The Prince of Darkness, he was pure light to those of us lucky enough to meet him. A heart bigger than any stage he ever rocked. My heart goes out to Sharon and the Kids.…
pic.twitter.com/rjAIz2DkHP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Rod Stewart offers scathing words for Trump and ‘51st state' threats at Toronto concert
Rod Stewart did not mince words for U.S. President Donald Trump on a Toronto stage this week. A Budweiser Stage crowd roared with applause Tuesday night as Stewart, flanked by background dancers in sparkly black dresses, danced to a patriotic Canada-themed parody of Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' that was being played on screen. 'At first we were afraid, we were petrified,' concertgoers could hear as the ardent take on the hit song played from the stage's speakers. The contemporary twist on Gaynor's anthem was performed by Plainfield, Ont., singer Sonya Zaback. At the end of the line, 'And now we've banded all together, your tariff made us strong,' the British singer and songwriter pumped his arms into the air. The 'I Don't Want to Talk About It' star grinned as the lyrics continued: 'There's not a snowball's chance in hell we'll be your 51st state' to cheers from the audience. Stewart walked backwards across the stage as the cover crooned, 'So now just go, walk out the door. We do not need you, you're not welcome anymore.' 'Weren't you the one who instigated these trade fights? You're soon broke to regret it — when we turn out your lights.' Stewart jumped and cheered, facing the screen blaring footage of Toronto streets and fireworks behind the lyrics. '51st state, my f—king ass,' Stewart yelled as the song came to a close, pumping his fist in the air again. Rod Stewart danced and cheered to an anti-Trump rendition of 'I Will Survive' on a Toronto stage Tuesday. In recent weeks Trump has been less vocal on his taunts to annex Canada as the '51st state,' but the two countries remain deadlocked in negotiations over a trade deal that would avert tariffs on Canadian goods. Trump has set a deadline of Aug. 1 for the two countries to reach an agreement. 'I think Canada could be one where they just pay tariffs — not really a negotiation,' Trump told reporters Friday. Stewart is set to hit the stage at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts, Saturday night. With files from The Canadian Press
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
This acclaimed novelist is also a master puzzle writer
When it comes to writing books, author Christopher J. Yates has a unique approach. 'My secret sauce for writing novels is I set to myself a puzzle I have to solve,' said Yates, who has published three novels and written for the puzzle pages of various publications — including The Post — for decades. His new novel, 'The Rabbit Club,' is a thriller set in academia. It exists in two time periods:1994, when wide-eyed 18-year-old Ali McCain arrives to study literature at Oxford University — and track down his English rock-star father — and 2019, when an unnamed academic in New York looks back on the events of Ali's formative years. Advertisement 5 Christopher J. Yates writes both novels and puzzles — and he says the process has more in common than you might imagine. Courtesy of Christopher J. Yates 'His voice just came to me, and I wrote like pages and pages of this crazy narrator. I was like, 'Who is this guy? I have no idea.' But I realized I had to solve the puzzle of who he was,' said Yates, a 53-year-old native of Kent, England, who now lives in the Hudson Valley. 'When I worked it out, I was like, 'No way, you can't get away with that. You can't pull it off.' And then I was like, 'What if I did it?'' Yates' earlier DELETE two novels, 2015's 'Black Chalk' and 2018's 'Grist Mill Road,' had puzzles of their own. Advertisement 'Black Chalk,' which is also set at Oxford, sees six students embroiled in a deadly game. The reader knows early on that one of them will die, but not which one. 'Grist Mill Road' takes place in a small New York town in the early 1980s. It starts with a teenage boy tying a young girl to a tree and shooting her with a BB gun, ultimately blinding her. The puzzle, Yates said, was figuring out why he did that. 5 Yates' new novel, 'The Rabbit Club,' is a puzzle of sorts, set at Oxford University. 'It could have been he's a psychopath, but that wasn't interesting to me,' he said. Advertisement Yates wrote about 80% of the book before the boy's motive came to him. 'I was terrified, and I just walked into my kitchen to make some tea, and this overwhelming explosion of information occurred in my head. I had to stop moving. I just stared into the middle distance as all of the answers kind of came to my head,' he recalled. 'I think it's like, people who've done crosswords will often experience. You can stare at a crossword, you can't get the last three answers, so you walk away, you do something else, you have some lunch, you come back, you look at the newspaper — and all of your answers just bang, bang, bang are in your head. I think your subconscious works it out for you.' Yates started writing puzzles — in the traditional sense — at age 22. 5 Yates's first novel, 'Black Chalk,' was also set at Oxford. It sees six students embroiled in a deadly game. The reader knows one of them will die, but not which one. Advertisement After graduating from Oxford, where he studied law, in 1993, he couldn't land a big job and took a six-week gig writing a database of crossword clues. 'That led to becoming a puzzle magazine editor and then editor of more important puzzle magazines,' he said. In his early 20s, he even represented the United Kingdom at the World Puzzle Championship in Holland. 'That was the most surreal experience of my life,' he said. 'Brilliant puzzle people aren't necessary completely normal.' 5 'Grist Mill Road' is Yates' second novel. It starts with a teenage boy tying a young girl to a tree and shooting her with a BB gun, ultimately blinding her. The puzzle, Yates said, was figuring out why he did that. He placed near the top in one of the rare word puzzles at the event, but most of the games involved math due to language differences. Overall, he was nearly last. Yates currently creates the weekly Word Force game for The Post. Last year, he published, with co-writer Bruce Pitchers, his first puzzle book, '5 Minute Murder: 100 addictive crime mystery puzzles for logical sleuths.' His fondness and aptitude for puzzles date back to childhood and visits to his paternal grandparents in London. Advertisement 5 Last year, Yates co-authored his first puzzle book, '5 Minute Murder.' 'They were literally Victorians and therefore never spoke to me and my sister,' he said. 'They would just give us puzzle magazines and leave us in a room and occasionally take us for a walk to the park and serve us dinner.' Yates, who begins most days playing the New York Times' 'Spelling Bee' game, is unsure if he has a natural knack for puzzles or just developed a skill or them while Grandpa smoked his pipe in the next room. 'It's hard to know, isn't it? Chicken or egg situation,' he said. 'But I do think my strongest suit in life is words.'
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Oasis pays emotional tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at first show since rock legend's passing
Liam and Noel Gallagher are the latest musicians to honor Ozzy Osbourne following his shocking death on Tuesday at 76. The rock star brothers paid an emotional tribute to the Prince of Darkness on Friday, July 25, during the first of seven Oasis shows at London's Wembley Stadium. 'I want to dedicate this next one to Ozzy Osbourne,' Liam, 52, said as the band finished their tune 'Live Forever' and jumped into their hit 1994 song 'Rock 'N' Roll Star,' according to a video from the concert. 9 Liam and Noel Gallagher clasping hands during an Oasis concert in London on Friday, July 25. Instagram/@oasis 9 Oasis put a giant picture of Ozzy Osbourne on the screen on Friday night while dedicating their song 'Rock 'N' Roll Star' to the late legend. Instagram/@oasis Meanwhile, a giant photo of Osbourne enveloped the screen behind Liam, Noel and their bandmates as they rocked out in the Black Sabbath legend's honor. Osbourne's wife, Sharon Osbourne, and four of his six children announced the heavy metal icon's passing in a statement to The Post on Tuesday, July 22. He died following a long battle with Parkinson's disease and other health issues. 9 Oasis performing at London's Wembley Stadium on Friday, July 25. Instagram/@ollywoodksa 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,' they began. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time,' his family added. 'Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.' The surprising news of the 'Crazy Train' singer's death came less than three weeks after his final show with Black Sabbath in the band's hometown of Birmingham, England. 9 Osbourne's family announced the heavy metal icon's passing on Tuesday, July 22. Redferns via Getty Images Black Sabbath, which booted Osbourne from the group in 1979 for alcohol and drug abuse, later paid a short tribute to their former bandmate. 'Ozzy Forever,' the British rockers wrote on Instagram, along with a photo of Osbourne at their farewell final concert on July 5 in Villa Park. Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi offered another tribute on behalf of the band in a separate post. 9 Black Sabbath later paid tribute to their former bandmate on Instagram. Cameron Glendenning 'I just can't believe it!' Iommi, 77, wrote on X. 'My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park.' 'It's just such heartbreaking news that I can't really find the words,' he continued. 'There won't ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother.' Besides Iommi, Black Sabbath is made up of bassist Geezer Butler, 76, and drummer Bill Ward, 77. 9 Ozzy Osbourne during his farewell concert with Black Sabbath on July 5. Ozzy Osbourne/Instagram 'My thoughts go out to Sharon and all the Osbourne family,' Iommi added. 'Rest in peace, Oz. Tony.' Scores of other bands and musicians also rushed to social media to remember the late 'Blizzard of Ozz' artist after his death. 'So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away,' Elton John, 78, wrote on Instagram. 'He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend.' 9 Ozzy Osbourne with his Black Sabbath bandmates. WireImage 'No words,' Green Day frontman Billie Joel Armstrong, 53, added. 'We love you Ozzy.' Rolling Stones star Ronnie Wood also paid tribute on Instagram, writing: 'I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.' As for Liam and Noel Gallagher, their tribute to Osbourne on Friday night in London came weeks after the once-feuding brothers reunited onstage for the first time in 16 years earlier this month. 9 Liam and Noel Gallagher reunited onstage for the first time in 16 years earlier this month. Instagram/@oasis 9 Liam and Noel Gallagher walking out together hand-in-hand during the current Oasis Live '25 Tour. Instagram/@oasis After announcing an Oasis Live '25 Tour last summer, the 'Wonderwall' songwriters kicked it off in Cardiff, Wales, on July 4. It was the first time they performed together since splitting up after a backstage fight during the Rock en Seine festival in August 2009, and so far the Oasis shows have gone on without a hitch. Following several upcoming dates in Britain and Ireland, the Oasis Live '25 Tour will begin another leg in North America on Aug. 24.
