The music world is reacting to the news that Ozzy Osbourne has died. Osbourne’s surviving bandmates in Black Sabbath led the way with a simple message: “Ozzy Forever.”
Black Sabbath’s other founding members—guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward—each penned their own tributes to Osbourne as well. “Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you’re forever in my heart,” Ward shared, while Iommi wrote, “It’s just such heartbreaking news that I can’t really find the words, there won’t ever be another like him.” Butler put it most succinctly: “4 kids from Aston- who’d have thought, eh?”
“He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend,” wrote Elton John, who featured on the title song of Osbourne’s Ordinary Man. “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.”
Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, a collaborator on Osbourne’s final album, Patient Number 9, shared: “Sad to hear Ozzy died today. When I was in high school I discovered Sabbath. ‘War Pigs’ was terrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. It was Ozzy’s voice that took me away to a dark universe. A great escape. Then when The ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ record came out I was instantly a fan. Randy Rhoads was an influence on me to play lead guitar. Luckily I got to play on the song ‘Immortal’ on the last record. Thanks for the music, Ozzy it makes our journey in life better.”
Further notes have been shared by Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav, Metallica, Nirvana, John Maus, Yungblud, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, the Roots’ Questlove, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, Disturbed’s David Draiman, Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, Zane Lowe, T-Pain, the Smashing Pumpkins, Sean Ono Lennon, Julian Lennon, Pantera, Sammy Hagar, and Jack White.
