Latest news with #VillaPark
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Ozzy Osbourne's final performance revealed fragility was the metal god's true power
Moshers gathered in their masses. Spilling out of the crazy train from Birmingham to Villa Park earlier this month, the thousands of black band shirts contained a universe: spandexed glam rock nestled next to indecipherable black metal logos, accessorised with wild hair, tough belts and tougher boots. Denim and leather jackets almost sagged under the weight of stitched-on patches. Metal's tribalism is a marvel, a commitment to a sound and lifestyle on the margins of the mainstream. That Saturday, the genre's fans were out in force, giving thanks to the man who started it all. The daylong metal celebration Back to the Beginning was billed as the farewell concert by Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. But Ozzy's delayed retirement, due to the effects of debilitating surgeries and Parkinson's disease, barely masked a different motive: this was surely it, and not just creatively. We wondered: would Ozzy be well enough to perform. If so, what would that performance look like? It gave the day the air of a wake happening in real time. Black Sabbath had never been stymied by illness or adversity. Tony Iommi lost the tips of two fingers as a teenager but persisted in learning the guitar by making his own prosthetic fingertips and adopting light-gauge strings, which created Black Sabbath's signature tone. In recent years, he's lived with cancer. Bassist Geezer Butler has been open about his long experience with depression and drummer Bill Ward is a heart-attack survivor. A degenerative disease, Parkinson's is marked by its cruelty, robbing a person of their agency and ability to express themselves. For a performer, Parkinson's may feel like a premature death, of the persona they've created and the power it exerts. Hours before Ozzy appeared onstage at Villa Park, that power and the reverence his lovable, cartoonish, hellraising persona inspires was obvious in the legions of bands – and acolytes – who played before him. Acts forewent their usual fees to raise record-shattering profits for charities supporting children's hospitals, hospices and Parkinson's research; there was a drum-off between members of Blink-182, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tool for Sabbath's Symptom of the Universe; Yungblud cranked Ozzy's Changes up to 11. The format soaked up the boyish camaraderie, the big kids in Ozzy's shadow who live for metal. As the skies darkened, chants of 'Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!' rose and the stage illuminated a figure seated on a throne of bats. It could be easy for some to forget – through the haze of reality TV, Brummie mumbles and cartoonish antics – that Osbourne's vocals gave rise to an entire genre. To lose that would be to lose it all, so there was mass relief that he was in surprisingly good form. He was visibly fighting against his physical limitations and getting into character with wide-eyed growls, his tone and conviction punching through on Mama, I'm Coming Home and Paranoid. His fragility generated a sense of urgency; hearing him sing in person, I recognised that Ozzy's power had always been in his fragility. His voice was a soul's wail, not a grunt or growl. In life, his honesty drew people closer to him. The mythology around his performances and wilderness years propelled his fame, but this night flashed him way back to a moment when his ad in the paper searching for bandmates might have been passed over, consigning him to a life as John Michael rather than Ozzy, another working-class lad from Aston in search of immortal truths. Back to the Beginning began as an impressively curated tribute. Now it takes on greater resonance as a swansong. We didn't know it, trudging out of Villa Park with the smell of fireworks and lager in the air, but it now seems like the most well-executed exit in entertainment since David Bowie's. Closing the circle ignited something in Osbourne that night, and in turn, the audience. He clung on for one last moment under the spotlight, one final connection. And then he went home.
The Sun
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Ozzy Osbourne's sisters open up on heartbreaking texts rock legend sent before he died as they pay tribute to brother
OZZY Osbourne's sisters have opened up on the heartbreaking final texts they received from the late singer shortly before his death. Jean Powell, 85, and Gillian Hemming, 80, revealed how "our John" messaged them, saying he "couldn't wait to come back" to Birmingham, following his iconic final gig in the city earlier this month. 3 3 3 The rock legend passed away this week at the age of 76, surrounded by his family after bravely battling against Parkinson's disease. After learning of his death through a phone call, the sisters said they stayed up all night reminiscing about the "loving and funny" Black Sabbath star. Speaking to the Mirror, Jean explained how they had last seen their brother at his final concert at Villa Park. She said they got texts from him as he drove down Lodge Road - a street where they used to live close to the stadium. Jean said Ozzy "couldn't believe" the sheer volume of crowds who were walking down their old road to watch him perform. She said: "He was blown away. We had an executive box in the stadium, and when I saw the sea of people waiting to see our John I just broke down. "We didn't really get a chance to chat much because it was such a chaotic visit. But in his last text to me he said he would be coming to Birmingham again. "He said 'I can't wait to come back'. We were hoping to see him this week." Jean said that although Ozzy was ill, the news of his death " still came as a shock". She added: "He still had plans and things he wanted to do. We don't know the details of his death, it's still too early. Watch touching moment Ozzy Osbourne says his final words to adoring fans just weeks before rock legend died "It's just so sad. I'm just thankful he died in England." Over the years the sisters have travelled to see Ozzy in Los Angeles, Malibu and Las Vegas. In 2019, Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, going public with his diagnosis the following year. As well as mobility issues, the condition caused him to suffer nerve pain, depression and blood clots. Jean continued: "We saw him in Birmingham the other week when he and the rest of the band were given the freedom of the city. "It was upsetting because he could not stand up straight, but he was still our John, still cracking the jokes. Ozzy Osbourne's career The singer first pursued his love of music after hearing The Beatles hit She Loves You in 1963, aged 15. After appearing in a handful of school plays, Ozzy joined Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler in their first group Rare Breed in 1967. When that band split, the pair reunited in Polka Tulk Blues alongside Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward. The group later became known as Black Sabbath and went onto shatter the music world with their whining guitar solos, Occult-based lyrics and Ozzy's screeching vocals. In 1970, the group gained a cult following in both the US and UK after releasing their eponymous first album. Black Sabbath saw incredible success with hit tracks such as Paranoid but discord in the group saw most of the original line-up leave. Ozzy himself quit the band in 1978, with a spiral into drug abuse leading to a divorce from first wife Thelma Mayfair, who he had two children with. It was then he first met a young Sharon Arden, who Ozzy at first wrote off as he believed she would think he was a "lunatic". But the singer could not be more wrong and the pair married in Hawaii in July 1982 before going on to have three children together, Aimee, Kelly and Jack. With Sharon's encouragement and help from her music manager dad Don, he began to carve out a successful solo career. His seminal first album Blizzard of Ozz in 1980 became a multi-platinum success thanks to Ozzy's howling vocals and macabre laugh on hit Crazy Train. Coupled with the Prince of Darkness' insane tour that saw him bite the head off a live bat, a string of successful tracks followed - cementing Ozzy as a rock legend around the world. In 1992, the singer announced his retirement but four years later created the beloved annual music festival Ozzfest with Sharon. Ozzy returned to Black Sabbath in 1999, with the band winning a Grammy for best metal performance for the song Iron Man. They later earned the same award in 2013 after releasing single God Is Dead? from album 13. "To us he was our brother, not a celebrity, so it's crazy to see the outpouring of love since his death was announced. "He had an amazing life and wonderful family in Sharon and the lovely kids." Ozzy went public with his diagnosis in an emotional joint interview with wife Sharon back in 2020. The singer told Good Morning America that he couldn't hide his health struggles any longer. As his health struggles limited his ability to perform, the music legend committed to one last gig in Birmingham to celebrate his career. His final performance at Villa Park saw him on stage alongside his old bandmates Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward on July 5. The reunited Black Sabbath lineup played a touching five-song set in a farewell to Ozzy, with the rock icon seated on a giant black throne - as he was unable to stand. The gig was touted as "the greatest heavy metal show ever," with Ozzy grinning to chanting fans as he thanked them for all they had done for him.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76, weeks after farewell Black Sabbath concert: Reactions and tributes pour in from music legends
The heavy metal rocker had lived for years with Parkinson's disease. Tributes are pouring in from music legends and celebrities after Ozzy Osbourne, the rock and heavy metal icon turned reality show star, has died at the age of 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,' his family said in a statement signed by wife Sharon Osbourne and their children Kelly, Jack, Aimee, as well as his son Louis from his prior marriage to Thelma Riley. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.' The Black Sabbath rocker lived with Parkinson's disease. Earlier this month, Osbourne played what was dubbed his 'final bow' from a throne at Villa Park in the U.K. Born John Michael Osbourne, the English musician rose to fame as the so-called Prince of Darkness with his heavy metal band, Black Sabbath, which he co-founded in 1968. The band released popular hits like 'Paranoid,' 'Iron Man' and 'War Pigs.' After his 1979 departure from the band due to substance abuse issues, Osbourne launched a successful solo career beginning with 1980's Blizzard of Ozz, which featured his hit track 'Crazy Train.' Osbourne became widely known for his wild onstage persona, including infamously biting the head off a bat during a 1982 concert. (He later got a rabies shot.) He went on to release 13 studio albums and was inducted twice into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in 2006, with Black Sabbath, and again in 2024 as a solo artist. Outside of music, Osbourne also had an influence on pop culture: He became a part of the first reality TV show family thanks to his hit MTV show, The Osbournes, which documented the chaotic, often hilarious home life he shared with wife Sharon and their children, Kelly and Jack. The show also illuminated darker sides of his personal life, however, as it revealed his struggles with substance abuse and health issues. The show ran for four seasons, from 2002 to 2005. Osbourne announced he had been previously diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a progressive nervous system disorder, in January 2020, a condition he later told the Los Angeles Times he had lived with since 2003. 'I'm not dying from Parkinson's. I've been working with it most of my life,' the singer told the newspaper. 'I've cheated death so many times. If tomorrow you read 'Ozzy Osbourne never woke up this morning,' you wouldn't go, 'Oh, my God!' You'd go, 'Well, it finally caught up with him.'' In addition to Parkinson's, the musician also suffered other health issues, such as a severe staph infection in 2018 and multiple spinal surgeries following a fall that aggravated an old injury. In May, Osbourne told the Guardian about his condition: 'You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end.' Yahoo has collected tributes and reactions to Osbourne's death from across the worlds of music and entertainment. Read them below. Fans left homemade cards and flower bouquets in honor of Ozzy Osbourne at the Black Sabbath Bridge in Birmingham, England, the town where the heavy metal band formed in 1968. In the Birmingham New Street train station, a few blocks away, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performed a musical tribute to Osbourne as fans looked on. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons sang praises for his friend Ozzy Osbourne on CBS Mornings on Wednesday. "Ozzy was always just wonderful, heartfelt Ozzy, nonjudgmental, no airs about him," Simmons said. "Reluctantly, I admit, sometimes I'm full of myself. Ozzy? Never." Simmons recalled when the two met in 1975, when Kiss opened for Black Sabbath for the band's Sabotage tour. He described how, when both bands were getting ready backstage, Osbourne would come up to Kiss members and ask how they were doing. "I've never heard Ozzy ever say anything bad about anybody," Simmons said. "When you meet somebody extraordinary — I don't mean famous, because there are a lot of famous people who are putzes, myself sometimes as well — this was a pure human being, nonjudgmental." Beyond online tributes, some major touring acts are paying homage to Osbourne onstage. During a curtain call at her concert in San Francisco on Tuesday night, Lady Gaga donned an Ozzy Osbourne T-shirt and took a bow with her performers as Osbourne's "Crazy Train" blared from the speakers. In Raleigh, N.C., Cindi Lauper used her cellphone to play "Crazy Train" for the crowd. "For Ozzy," she said, before launching into her own hit, "Time After Time." Ozzy Osbourne collaborated with countless bands and musicians over the years — including Miss Piggy. Osbourne once recorded a cover of Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" with The Muppets character. In a statement attributed to Kermit the Frog posted to Instagram, The Muppets fondly recalled the duet in a tribute to the Prince of Darkness. In 2003, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne were invited by the Chicago Cubs to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," a Wrigley Field tradition. Ozzy seemed to be enthusiastic about the opportunity. "I want to hear a real crazy crowd, start singing with me. Are you ready? Are you ready? I can't hear you! Are you ready?" he shouted before launching into what has since been described as one of the worst renditions ever. (Sharon seemed to know the words, but Ozzy clearly did not.) Major League Baseball shared a video of the performance in its tribute to Osbourne. Tributes and remembrances for Ozzy Osbourne continue to roll in from all corners of the music world. "We're heartbroken to hear about the passing of our brother in rock," Aerosmith said in a message on the band's X account. "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!" Mötley Crüe shared a similar sentiment. Jack White and guitarist Tom Morello also posted tributes. Singer Pat Boone posted a heartfelt tribute on Facebook to Ozzy Osbourne, his former neighbor. "Others may celebrate his incredible rocking style and hard rock music," Boone wrote. "But I'll always remember his warm friendliness as my next-door neighbor." Coldplay frontman Chris Martin dedicated Tuesday's show in Nashville, to Osbourne. "We'd like to dedicate this whole show to the incredible genius, talent, and character called — gift to the world —who was Ozzy Osbourne," Martin said. "We send our love to his family." After Martin performed a solo piano cover of Black Sabbath's soft rock ballad "Changes," he said, "Ozzy, we love you, wherever you're going." Former teen idol Donny Osmond paid tribute to Osbourne, who recalled working with the rocker turned reality star for a 2003 commercial at the height of The Osbournes reality show on MTV. Artists like Duran Duran, Queen and rockers Billy Idol and Robert Plant, former lead singer of Led Zeppelin, paid their respects to their fellow English star. Terence "Geezer" Butler posted a tribute to Osbourne on X. "Goodbye dear friend - thanks for all those years - we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston- who'd have thought, eh?" the Black Sabbath bassist wrote. "So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you." As word spread of Osbourne's death, more people in the rock world took time to write tributes. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day took to Instagram to write "No words. We love you Ozzy," along with a photo of the star. Brian May, cofounder of Queen, also shared kind words, writing on Instagram alongside a photo from Osbourne's final show that he was "so sad to hear of Ozzy's passing." "His last appearance at Villa Park was a glorious way to say goodbye — the love in that place for him was gigantic," May continued. "I'm grateful I was able to have a few quiet words with him after the show. And happy to know he passed peacefully with his loving family close by. But the world will miss Ozzie's unique presence and fearless talent. My heartfelt consolations to Sharon and their great family. And to Bill and Geezer and my dear friend Tony — for this is family — I know only too well. REST IN PEACE dear Ozzie. Bri." Meanwhile, Jon Bon Jovi shared two photos of himself with Osbourne, writing"Much luv to Sharon and the beautiful Osbourne Family. So sorry to hear of your loss. Rest easy Ozzy.." Guitarist Tony Iommi, one of the founding members of Black Sabbath, took to X to respond to the death of his former bandmate. "I just can't believe it! My dear dear friend Ozzy has passed away only weeks after our show at Villa Park," Iommi wrote. "It's just such heartbreaking news that I can't really find the words, there won't ever be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother. My thoughts go out to Sharon and all the Osbourne family. Rest in peace Oz. Tony." The Osbourne family was one of the earliest celebrity clans to star in a reality television show based on their day-to-day lives. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne starred alongside their children, daughter, Kelly, and son, Jack, on The Osbournes, which premiered on MTV in March 2002. The show, which concluded in 2005 after four seasons, was MTV's highest-rated program at the time. "When we did it, it was a hundred percent real," Ozzy Osbourne told Hunger magazine in 2023. "What you saw is what we were like. We didn't plan on getting up and doing what we did, we just let things happen. And that was the trick of The Osbournes. People would come into our house and go, 'Is she always like this?' and we'd go, 'Like what?' People would say, 'You've got to film this. This is amazing!' But I was confused; I thought everybody had rows with their kids and their dog crapping on the floor." The music streaming platform shared a post on X in honor of Osbournem writing, "From the first notes of 'Black Sabbath' to the final chords of 'Paranoid,' Ozzy changed music forever. We're crushed, but forever grateful, and we'll never stop listening. Rest in peace, Ozzy." David Draiman, frontman for the heavy metal band Disturbed, called Osbourne a "dear teacher," his friend and "a father to us all." The tributes to Osbourne continue to pour in from all corners of the music industry. In a post on X, Adam Sandler paid tribute to Osbourne. He included a still from the 2000 film Little Nicky, in which Osbourne played himself in a scene featuring Sandler as the titular son of Satan. "Whether we were in our basements with our brothers, in the woods with our buddies, in the car, at a keg party, on a boat, at football practice, at a sleepover … Nobody was more badass to crank up on our speakers than the one and only prince of darkness — Ozzy Osborne!" Sandler wrote. "Loved him a lot like we all did! Sending love to the family and so happy to have spent time with the legend himself. RIP." Nirvana's official X account posted a short message thanking Osbourne and Black Sabbath for inspiring the iconic grunge rock band led by the late Kurt Cobain. Though Osbourne famously bit the head off a dead bat onstage during a 1982 concert, he also advocated for animal welfare, something that the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) acknowledged in a statement after his death. "Ozzy Osbourne was a legend and a provocateur, but PETA will remember the 'Prince of Darkness' most fondly for the gentle side he showed to animals — most recently cats, by using his fame to decry painful, crippling declawing mutilations," PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement to Yahoo News. "Ozzy may have been the singer, but his wife, Sharon, and his daughter, Kelly, were of one voice when it meant protecting animals. Ozzy will be missed by animal advocates the world over." Osbourne previously participated in a 2020 campaign for the animal rights organization, which, in true shock rock fashion, featured his fingers amputated and bloody. The tagline for the campaign read, 'Never Declaw a Cat. It's an Amputation, Not a Manicure.' 'Amputating a cat's toes is twisted and wrong,' said Osbourne in a statement via PETA. 'If your couch is more important to you than your cat's health and happiness, you don't deserve to have an animal! Get cats a scratching post — don't mutilate them for life.' Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Ozzy Osbourne's final performance revealed fragility was the metal god's true power
Moshers gathered in their masses. Spilling out of the crazy train from Birmingham to Villa Park earlier this month, the thousands of black band shirts contained a universe: spandexed glam rock nestled next to indecipherable black metal logos, accessorised with wild hair, tough belts and tougher boots. Denim and leather jackets almost sagged under the weight of stitched-on patches. Metal's tribalism is a marvel, a commitment to a sound and lifestyle on the margins of the mainstream. That Saturday, the genre's fans were out in force, giving thanks to the man who started it all. The daylong metal celebration Back to the Beginning was billed as the farewell concert by Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. But Ozzy's delayed retirement, due to the effects of debilitating surgeries and Parkinson's disease, barely masked a different motive: this was surely it, and not just creatively. We wondered: would Ozzy be well enough to perform. If so, what would that performance look like? It gave the day the air of a wake happening in real time. Black Sabbath had never been stymied by illness or adversity. Tony Iommi lost the tips of two fingers as a teenager but persisted in learning the guitar by making his own prosthetic fingertips and adopting light-gauge strings, which created Black Sabbath's signature tone. In recent years, he's lived with cancer. Bassist Geezer Butler has been open about his long experience with depression and drummer Bill Ward is a heart-attack survivor. A degenerative disease, Parkinson's is marked by its cruelty, robbing a person of their agency and ability to express themselves. For a performer, Parkinson's may feel like a premature death, of the persona they've created and the power it exerts. Hours before Ozzy appeared onstage at Villa Park, that power and the reverence his lovable, cartoonish, hellraising persona inspires was obvious in the legions of bands – and acolytes – who played before him. Acts forewent their usual fees to raise record-shattering profits for charities supporting children's hospitals, hospices and Parkinson's research; there was a drum-off between members of Blink-182, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tool for Sabbath's Symptom of the Universe; Yungblud cranked Ozzy's Changes up to 11. The format soaked up the boyish camaraderie, the big kids in Ozzy's shadow who live for metal. As the skies darkened, chants of 'Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!' rose and the stage illuminated a figure seated on a throne of bats. It could be easy for some to forget – through the haze of reality TV, Brummie mumbles and cartoonish antics – that Osbourne's vocals gave rise to an entire genre. To lose that would be to lose it all, so there was mass relief that he was in surprisingly good form. He was visibly fighting against his physical limitations and getting into character with wide-eyed growls, his tone and conviction punching through on Mama, I'm Coming Home and Paranoid. His fragility generated a sense of urgency; hearing him sing in person, I recognised that Ozzy's power had always been in his fragility. His voice was a soul's wail, not a grunt or growl. In life, his honesty drew people closer to him. The mythology around his performances and wilderness years propelled his fame, but this night flashed him way back to a moment when his ad in the paper searching for bandmates might have been passed over, consigning him to a life as John Michael rather than Ozzy, another working-class lad from Aston in search of immortal truths. Back to the Beginning began as an impressively curated tribute. Now it takes on greater resonance as a swansong. We didn't know it, trudging out of Villa Park with the smell of fireworks and lager in the air, but it now seems like the most well-executed exit in entertainment since David Bowie's. Closing the circle ignited something in Osbourne that night, and in turn, the audience. He clung on for one last moment under the spotlight, one final connection. And then he went home.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Black Sabbath members honour 'dear friend' Ozzy Osbourne
On Tuesday, a representative for the Osbourne family announced that the rock music icon had died at the age of 76. Following the sad news, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler posted a photo of frontman Ozzy during his last-ever show at Villa Park in Birmingham, earlier this month. 'Goodbye dear friend - thanks for all those years - we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston - who'd have thought, eh? So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.'
