Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who has died at the age of 76, was known as the ‘ Prince of Darkness ‘ due to his band’s dark, ominous sound and his own theatrical persona
Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath known for his haunting vocals and wild stage presence, has died at the age of 76. His family confirmed the news in a statement last night, revealing he died on Tuesday, July 22.
His death comes just weeks after Ozzy gave what would be his final live performance during the Back to the Beginning show at Villa Park, the home stadium of Aston Villa.
Born John Michael Osbourne, the Birmingham-born star rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Black Sabbath, a band that would help define heavy metal music.
Known for its dark, ominous sound and controversial imagery, the group drew both a devoted fan base and fierce criticism from the music industry.
As Black Sabbath’s music gained notoriety, Ozzy earned the nickname the “Prince of Darkness” for two key reasons — it was a title that reflected both the band’s image, and also his own theatrical persona.
Originally called the Polka Tulk Blues Band, and later Earth, the band settled on the name Black Sabbath after spotting a theatre marquee across from their rehearsal space showing the 1963 Italian horror film Black Sabbath.
Inspired by the horror theme, the group wrote a song titled “Black Sabbath”, which became the title track of their groundbreaking 1970 debut album.
In a 2016 interview with NME, Ozzy reflected on how the band’s eerie music resonated with early fans. “When we started gigging way back when, as soon as we started playing this song’s opening chords, young girls in the audience would… freak out”, he said. “They thought we were Satan’s… friends or something”.
Ozzy later downplayed the macabre nickname in a 2013 interview with the Broward Palm Beach New Times.
“It’s a name. I didn’t wake up one morning and go, ‘ You know what, I’m going to call myself… ‘” he said. “It started as a joke name, really. I’m OK with it, you know? It’s better than being called an a*******”.
Ozzy had been battling ill-health in recent years, and played his final ever gig just weeks before his death.
The frontman passed away on Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the Osbourne family, which included Ozzy’s wife Sharon, their daughters Kelly and Aimee, their son Jack, and Ozzy’s son Louis. Our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning, according to them, with more sadness than words can express.
He was surrounded by love and his family. At this time, we ask that everyone respects our family’s privacy. Jack, Kelly, Aimee, and Louis are the members. Additionally, “Ozzy’s former Black Sabbath bandmates” have written moving statements.
Sharon’s death, according to reports, left her heartbroken and completely devastated by the passing of Ozzy. Ozzy’s sisters praised him as “loving and funny” while sharing their heartbreak over his passing.
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Source: Mirror
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