God Bless Ozzy Osbourne – A Heavy Metal Icon Remembered.
Written by Kahmel Farahani on July 22, 2025
Words: Kahmel Farahani
“And the winter’s looking fineAnd I think the sun will shine againAnd I feel I’ve cleaned my mindAll the past is left behind again
I say goodbye to romance, yeahGoodbye to friends, I tell youGoodbye to all the pastI guess that we’ll meet, we’ll meet in the end”
The first time that I saw Black Sabbath was in 2013 in London. Even then, it felt like a special privilege to be seeing the founding fathers of heavy metal. Before the band even came on stage, Ozzy’s infectious laughter echoed across the arena and sent all the fans gathered into a joyous frenzy. At that point, more than, 40 years into their career, they were still the most exciting, vital and thrilling band in heavy metal, or any genre for that matter. To be there as a fan who not even born when the last Ozzy fronted Black Sabbath album came out felt like a very special moment in music history.
I was able to watch Ozzy Osbourne perform what turned out to be his final headline UK show at Download festival in 2018. Seeing Ozzy stomping around stage with a grin from ear to ear lit a joyful fire in the heart of every single fan in attendance. The fact that he sounded superb was a bonus. This was somebody who had no ego or arrogance about them, even from hundreds of meters away. Instead, it was the sheer humble joy to be present and the joy of sharing the music with his fans.
Watching the Back To The Beginning tribute gig several weeks ago also felt like a special moment, for different reasons. This felt like a coming together of family and friends, some who had never met in person before, to celebrate the life and works of somebody they truly loved. This was one last beautiful family reunion for the most beloved father, grandfather, uncle and brother of them all. It feels like a blessing that Ozzy was there to experience the outpouring of love.
This is not a comprehensive listing of Ozzy’s artistic achievements or exploits – that would take several days to write and read. This is merely one fan’s recollections of a truly singular talent whose music shaped countless lives, across generations. This is just a small, loving tribute to a man who packed 100 life times worth of experiences and work into a mere 76 years on this planet.
You will live on forever and be carried in the hearts of everyone who was touched by your music, your personality and your presence.
“I was down, but now I’m flyingStraight across the great divideI know you’re crying, but I’ll stop you crying
When I see you, I see you on the other sideYes, I’ll see you, see you on the other side.”
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