Ozzy Osbourne and Elton John's decades long friendship: Rocket man showered his 'dear' pal with lavish gifts and helped him recover following horrific quad bike accident as singer helps lay Black Sabbath star to rest

Daily Mail​

7 days ago

and Elton John enjoyed a decades long frienship that will end as the Rocket man star joins mourners to lay Black Sabbath singer to rest in a private funeral at his Buckinghamshire home on Thursday.
The heavy metal icon, who died last week aged 76, was showered with gifts by his famous pal and even credited singer Elton for helping his recovery following a horrific quad bike accident in 2003.
The pair also collaborated on Ozzy's 2020 track Ordinary man, with Elton providing the piano and vocals, alongside Slash on guitar and Red Hot Chili Peppers Chad Smith drumming.
Elton, 78, even appeared on the family's MTV show The Osbourne's in 2005, giving fans a rare glimpse into the pairs unique bond.
While visiting their home in LA the Crocodile Rock icon removed a huge gold and diamond necklace from his neck to gift to his shocked pal.
Clearly shocked by the gesture, Ozzy said: 'No! f**** off!' and said he 'felt bad' for accepting the trinket, Elton quipped: 'Don't be so stupid you silly old b******'.
Meanwhile husband David Furnish, 62, joked: 'Is the real one at home in the safe?'.
The rocker went to wife Sharon and said he felt 'so embarrassed' by the lavish gesture, before telling her to 'just go' on her shopping trip with Elton before the end ended up giving him his 'f*****g house'.
Meanwhile Ozzy also praised his long time pal for helping him in his recovery following a quad bike accident that forced him to have metal rods inserted into his back.
He told Yahoo: 'Elton told me to get off the couch and start walking, which was what I needed, as I couldn't move off it for months, he was right. Elton is a sweetheart. He has phoned me throughout all this'
'[Elton and David and their sons] are such a good family. You would be surprised. When you are feeling miserable, you find out who is a friend and who doesn't give a s**t.'
Following his death Elton shared a snap of himself and Ozzy alongside an emotional tribute to his 'dear friend which read: 'So sad to hear the news of @ozzyosbourne passing away'.
'He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx'.
In true Ozzy fashion, stars arrived in gothic and heavy metal attire, with Rob Zombie donning skulls on a black scarf while Marilyn Manson wore a long black jacket to see the star buried buried in the grounds of his own mansion in Buckinghamshire - as he had said desired.
The star is being laid to rest in a freshly dug grave close to the lake at the heart of the sprawling 250-acre property near Gerrards Cross.
A huge floral tribute in the grounds of the mansion spells out an affectionate tribute to the heavy metal legend, with the words, 'OZZY F***ING OSBOURNE', on the banks of the Osbourne lake.
A version of a floral 'Ozzy' tribute that featured at yesterday's memorial procession was also placed atop a fountain.
Mourners who attended today include Elton, Metallica frontman James Hetfieldas tents were seen across the Buckinghamshire estate's grounds.
The events follow a funeral procession attended by thousands of fans through Birmingham city centre on Wednesday.
Ozzy's widow Sharon, 72, was supported by their children Jack, Kelly and Aimee who laid floral tributes and made a peace sign as they gestured their gratitude to fans - while accompanied by Ozzy's son Louis from his first marriage to Thelma Riley.
Floral tributes to the rock star first displayed at the public memorial in Birmingham yesterday were on show for the intimate farewell.
Goodwill messages have continued to pour in for Osbourne, who died aged 76 last week - and had spoken in the past about his wishes for a lack of funeral fuss.
Speaking in in 2011 about how he imagined his future send-off, the Black Sabbath legend said: 'I honestly don't care what they play at my funeral - they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and 'We Are The Diddymen' if it makes 'em happy. But I do want to make sure it's a celebration, not a mope-fest.'
The funeral cortege yesterday was led by a live brass band, Bostin' Brass, who performed versions of Black Sabbath songs such as Iron Man, as thousands of tearful devotees lined the streets and sang along in Ozzy's memory.
Today, marquees and a music stage had been erected next to pond where the private tributes were paid at his home.
Guests were seated under huge awnings due to the rain showers that had fallen earlier in the day - while catering facilities, with their own generators, were provided in the garden.
A huge security operation was in place from early this morning to ensure the ceremony was strictly invitation only, in accordance with widow Sharon's wishes.
A team of bodyguards and private security dog handlers patrolled the perimeter of the estate and traffic marshals directed traffic through the narrow country lane leading to the Osbourne estate.
However, diehard fans did leave flowers outside the gates to their rock idol.
Ozzy had spoken in 2011 about his funeral intentions, telling the Times: 'I want to make sure it's a celebration, not a mope-fest.
'I'd also like some pranks - maybe the sound of knocking inside the coffin, or a video of me asking my doctor for a second opinion on his diagnosis of 'death'.
'There'll be no harping on the bad times. It's worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives.
'So by any measure, most of us in this country - especially rock stars like me - are very lucky. That's why I don't want my funeral to be sad - I want it to be a time to say, 'Thanks'.'
And he wrote in his autobiography I Am Ozzy, published in 2010: 'Eventually death will come, like it comes to everyone.
'I've said to Sharon: 'Don't cremate me, whatever you do.' I want to be put in the ground, in a nice garden somewhere, with a tree planted over my head.
'A crabapple tree, preferably, so the kids can make wine out of me and get p***ed out of their heads.