
‘Four kids from Aston' – Black Sabbath members bid farewell to Ozzy Osbourne
In a post on Instagram, Butler paid tribute to his long-time bandmate and friend, reflecting on their final performance together during a farewell concert at Birmingham's Villa Park earlier this month.
'Thanks for all those years- we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston- who'd have thought, eh?' he captioned an Instagram post.
'So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.'
The emotional tribute came as bandmates Bill Ward and Tony Iommi also expressed their grief.
Iommi, the band's guitarist, said he was 'devastated' by the news.
'It's just such heartbreaking news that I can't really find the words, there won't ever be another like him,' he wrote on Instagram.
'Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother.'
Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you're forever in my heart. Deepest condolences to Sharon and all family members. RIP Sincere regrets to all the fans. Never goodbye. Thank you forever. Bill Ward pic.twitter.com/2HSaIZfkX2
— Bill Ward (@billwarddrums) July 22, 2025
Ward, Black Sabbath's drummer, posted a photo of himself and Osbourne on X, writing: 'Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls… no, you're forever in my heart.'
Earlier this month, Osbourne bid farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion, telling thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park – a stone's throw from where the band was formed in 1968 – that it was 'so good to be on this stage' as he performed his last set from a large black throne.
A family statement said: '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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.'
Singer Yungblud, who performed Changes at the concert on July 5 with a recording of the live cover released for charity, paid tribute to Osbourne, calling him 'the greatest of all time'.
Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members were the last to appear on stage as part of the star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert.
A post shared by Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler)
In an Instagram post, the singer, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, shared photos of the moment he gave the late heavy metal singer a cross on a necklace, similar to the one Osbourne had previously given to him.
He wrote: 'I didn't think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room.
'But as it is written with legends, they seem to know things that we don't. I will never forget you – you will be in every single note I sing and with me every single time I walk on stage.
'Your cross around my neck is the most precious thing I own. You asked me once if there was anything you could do for me and as I said then and as I will say now for all of us the music was enough. You took us on your adventure – an adventure that started it all.
'I am truly heartbroken. You were the greatest of all time.'
Sir Elton John described Osbourne as a 'huge trailblazer' who 'secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods'.
'He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend,' Sir Elton wrote on Instagram, adding: '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.'
Osbourne's theatrical stage presence, including once biting off the head of a bat and styling himself as the Prince of Darkness, marked him out as a controversial figure.
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs, including factory work, before teaming up with school friend Butler in several bands.
Black Sabbath went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, selling more than 75 million albums worldwide.
The group were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and Osbourne was added for a second time last year.
He rose to further fame alongside his wife Sharon – whom he married in 1982 and with whom he has three children, Aimee, Jack and Kelly – through their MTV reality TV series The Osbournes.
In 2020, Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery.
He had a fall at home in 2019, which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003, stopping his No More Tours 2 shows from going ahead in Europe and the UK.
The tour had previously been rescheduled several times because of illness, the Covid-19 pandemic and logistical issues.
He told Good Morning America in January 2020 that it was discovered he had the neurodegenerative disorder after a fall.
He said: 'I did my last show New Year's Eve at The Forum. Then I had a bad fall. I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves and I found out that I have a mild form.'
He and wife Sharon, who was also his manager, met when she was 18 and they married on July 4 1982 in Hawaii.
Daughter Kelly, 40, duetted with her father on the UK number one single Changes in 2003.
He released his 12th studio album Ordinary Man in 2020, followed by Patient Number 9 in 2022, which went to number three and two in the UK charts, respectively.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mirror
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Loose Women's Jane Moore 'in shock' as she recalls last meeting with Ozzy Osbourne
Loose Women star Jane Moore made a special appearance on the lunchtime chat show to recall her friendship with the late Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne following his death TV star Jane Moore has recalled her last meeting with her close friend Ozzy Osbourne before he died. The Loose Women star, 63, was close friends with the Black Sabbath rocker and his wife Sharon. And, following his death on Tuesday at the age of 76 following numerous health issues, she has recalled going to his final gig just weeks ago and explained that he was "nervous" before he went on stage. The journalist is currently on holiday but appeared on the ITV lunchtime show via video link where she spoke of her 'shock' at his death. She said: "It was an incredible shock. I'm on holiday out in France and I first got a call mid-afternoon. To be honest, I didn't believe it. Ozzy has been subject to so many online hoaxes about his death over the years so I just thought it was another one. I only saw him just over two weeks ago when he did his farewell concert with Black Sabbath in Villa Park Birmingham, which is just a couple of minutes from the house he grew up in. "As everyone knows, Ozzy, because of Parkinson's, was in a wheelchair so they had to work out how to get out of him. Quite an achievement, he sang four solo songs and then four with Black Sabbath sitting down." Discussing her last meeting with Ozzy, which occurred backstage before the gig, Jane said: "Sharon took me to see him in his dressing room just before he went on stage and he was nervous because it was his home town and his home crowd but it was an unqualified success. " Jane also pointed out just how "sad" Ozzy's passing is because he was very much compos mentis up until the end, as she said: "I stayed for a bit after the concert and when I left, there was loads of crowds still hanging around. Big, tough looking biker fans just crying with joy at having seen their idol. It's incredibly sad because mentally, he was still there." The former I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here star, who spoke to Kaye Adams, Coleen Nolan, Kelle Bryan and Sue Cleaver, even moved in with the Osbourne clan when she was working as a ghost writer on Sharon's memoir and recalled having early morning chats with the late rock star during that time, and explained: "I'd wake up very early in the morning, write up yesterday's notes before the next day started. But Ozzy used to get up really early to talk to me and because I trained as a journalist in Birmingham, I'm used to the accent so I could understand it when a lot of people in LA just didn't know what he was saying. He was so he was pleased to have someone to chat with, and he had so many funny stories." Last year, Jane was invited to interview Sharon on her UK tour, and spoke about how the pair were dedicated to each other right up until the end despite the 'tempestuous' nature of their marriage. She said: "They had a tempestuous marriage, I did a Sharon with tour last year, she did a talk show on stage where I interviewed her. "She's probably the most honest person I've interviewed in my life. She freely admitted they were co-dependent, she said 'I can't live without him and he can't live without me...' and he used to say the same." News of Ozzy's death broke on Wednesday evening, and it came after a number of health woes for the legendary music star. The family statement announcing his death read: "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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. "We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis." The family message was preceded by a location stamp, that read: "Birmingham, England July 22, 2025" - revealing that Ozzy made it back home for one last time.


Daily Mirror
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Ozzy Osbourne gave brutal four-word advice to Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher
Since the sad news of Ozzy Osbourne's death was announced, tributes have poured in from all corners of the world, and one memorable story shows just how big of a sense of humour the singer had The music industry is in mourning following the announcement of Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne's death at 76. His family released a heartfelt statement saying: "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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time." Tributes have been flooding in for the heavy metal pioneer, with one memorable tale resurfacing from a chat Noel Gallagher had with Absolute Radio in 2023. While discussing his album Council Skies, Noel shared an amusing memory of Ozzy, who was his neighbour in Buckinghamshire for years. Noel reminisced about an amusing piece of advice Ozzy once gave him, imitating his Brummie twang: "He said to me once, 'Bit of advice for you and your brother, try and smile a bit more!' And we were like, 'Oh, thanks for that, thank you,' you know." Fans have been reacting to the story since Ozzy's passing, with one remarking: "Imagine being told by the prince of darkness to smile more." Another quipped: "He wasn't wrong, was he!" And a third fan mourned: "One legend less, RIP Ozzy." Ozzy, who had been battling a mild form of Parkinson's disease since 2003, gave his final performance seated on a grand black throne just weeks before he passed away. The iconic event unfolded at Villa Park, a stone's throw from where the legendary Black Sabbath first united in 1968. Tributes have poured in for Ozzy, with Elton John taking to Instagram to honour him as a "dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods - a true legend". Elton, echoing Noel's previous sentiments about Ozzy's wit, added: "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." Rock titans Aerosmith expressed their sorrow with a heartfelt statement: "We're heartbroken to hear about the passing of our brother in rock, Ozzy Osbourne. A voice that changed music forever. "From Black Sabbath to his solo work, Ozzy redefined what it meant to be heavy. He did it all with heart, grit, and that wild spirit only he could bring. "Our love goes out to Sharon, his family, his band, and the millions around the world who felt his fire. Rock on, Ozzy. You will be missed, but never forgotten!"


The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ozzy Osbourne's quirky funeral requests uncovered
Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath frontman, has died at the age of 76 on 22 July. His death was confirmed in a joint statement from his wife Sharon and children Kelly, Jack, and Aimee, who stated he was with his family and surrounded by love. In 2011, Osbourne previously shared his vision for his funeral, desiring it to be a 'celebration' rather than a 'mope-fest', and expressed indifference about the music played. He also wished for pranks at his send-off, suggesting ideas like knocking sounds from inside the coffin or a video of him questioning a doctor's diagnosis of death. Weeks before his passing, Osbourne experienced a global celebration of his legacy during a farewell Black Sabbath show, which reunited the original four members and raised £140m for three different charities.