Ozzy Osbourne

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Osbourne's journey began in Aston, Birmingham, where he grew up in a small two-bedroom home at 14 Lodge Road. After leaving school at 15 to work as a slaughterhouse worker and construction laborer, he faced conviction for robbery that led to six weeks in Winson Green Prison. His musical path started when Rare Breed recruited him, followed by Polka Tulk Blues with Tony Iommi and Bill Ward. They renamed themselves Earth before settling on Black Sabbath in August 1969 after seeing a film titled 'Black Sabbath' (1963) playing at a local cinema. The band's darker style emerged from their observation that audiences enjoyed being frightened, culminating in the song "Black Sabbath," written after bassist Geezer Butler reported seeing a dark figure at the foot of his bed while reading an occult book.

In Their Own Story

In late 1978, Osbourne left Black Sabbath for three months to pursue a solo project titled Blizzard of Ozz. Upon rejoining the band, they spent five months at Sounds Interchange Studios in Toronto recording Never Say Die!, a process Iommi described as chaotic due to heavy drug use that prevented them from playing together cohesively. The subsequent tour with Van Halen saw Sabbath labeled "tired and uninspired" compared to the youthful opening act. Their final show of this era occurred on 11 December in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a seven-year absence, Osbourne returned for reunions starting in 1997, eventually singing on their last studio album, 13 (2013). He performed his final concert at the Back to the Beginning event in Birmingham on 5 July 2025 before passing away 17 days later.

Reader's Guide

Osbourne's career is defined by two major eras: Black Sabbath and his solo work. With Sabbath, he delivered eight studio albums starting with their self-titled debut in 1970. His tenure ended in 1979, but he reunited with the band from 1997 to 2005 and again in 2012. As a solo artist, he formed a band featuring Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley, recording Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981). His life also extended into television with The Osbournes (2002–2005), starring alongside Sharon, Kelly, and Jack. Honors include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions in 2006 (Sabbath) and 2024 (solo), plus stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2002) and Birmingham Walk of Stars (2007). He received the Global Icon Award at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Did You Know?

• Osbourne spent six weeks in Winson Green Prison at age 17 after his father refused to pay the fine for robbing a clothes shop.
• The band name Black Sabbath was chosen in August 1969 after seeing the 1963 film 'Black Sabbath' playing at a local cinema.
• Bassist Geezer Butler wrote the lyrics to "Black Sabbath" after telling Osbourne he had seen a dark figure standing at the end of his bed.
• He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame once, with Black Sabbath in 2006.