The eccentric and bright wife of the no less extraordinary rock musician Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, in addition to her other talents, is a brilliant music producer, as well as an example of a wife to whom the expression "behind any successful man is a woman" is absolutely applicable. About how this woman managed to help her husband in his successful musical career, and about the biography of Sharon Osbourne in today's article.
Brief information
The future star was born on October 9, 1952 in England. Sharon Rachel Osbourne's maiden name is Levi. She grew up in a creative musical family. Her father was a music producer and her mother was a ballerina. She also has a brother, David. It is noteworthy that Sharon's relatives on her father's side were Russian, and only during the First World War they moved to England.
Meeting with Ozzy Osbourne
As already mentioned, Sharon's father was a music producer. And one of his projects was the very popular Black Sabbath project that Osbourne was involved in. Due to some disagreements with the group's manager - Sharon's father, Ozzy was fired from the team. In his own words, leaving the group was a relief for him. It was then, in 1979, that Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne began their relationship.
Sharon's relationship with her father after these events deteriorated greatly, and their communication was interrupted for a long 20 years.
Producer Wife
After leaving the group, Sharon persuaded Ozzy to start a new separate project. And then he placed an ad in the newspaper that he was looking for musicians to create a new group. The team gathered fairly quickly. And just as quickly, he gained popularity.
One of the most reckless acts, which is still retold with interest by Ozzy fans and just lovers of rock music, was the story with the dove. Since Sharon was not only Osbourne's beloved woman, but also the manager of his musical career, she invited him to show himself on the good side after all the scandals that had occurred. She suggested that he bring two pigeons to the office in order to release them into the sky as a sign of "peace" and smooth the situation. But something went wrong, and instead of releasing the pigeons, Osborne simply bit off the head of one of them. None of those present expected this, and photographs of this nonsense quickly spread through all the printed publications. Accordingly, Ozzy Osbourne's popularity skyrocketed.
Subsequently, Sharon Osbourne continued to help and prompt her husband in his career in every possible way. At the same time, she managed to achieve her own success. Having made a big name for herself, she acquired very good connections.
Family and shooting in the show
In addition to his successful career, Sharon Osbourne, together with her husband, managed to create a strong social unit. They are parents of three children: Amy, Kelly and Jack. In 2002, the music channel MTV released a show with the participation of the star family, having received the same name "The Osborne Family". The show broadcast the real life of all members of the Osborne family, their everyday life, funny and not very vital moments.
Almost immediately after the start of filming and the successful launch of the transfer, the mother of the family, Sharon Osbourne, became seriously ill. It became known that doctors discovered she had colon cancer. But, despite such a serious illness, she was against the closure of the family show, and filming continued. Thanks to the support of loved ones and the professionalism of doctors, Sharon managed to overcome her illness and get back on her feet. By that time, "The Osborne Family" was simply a resounding success with the American and English audience. By the way, not the whole family participated in the show. So, the Osbournes' daughter Amy refused to take part in the show. And in general, she spoke rather negatively about the antics of her parents on the screen. Since not everyone owned the Internet in 2002, they tried to hide some facts of the Osbournes' biography. Therefore, after Amy refused to participate for the viewer, she was cut out of family life. In family photos, she, falling into the frame of the TV show, was either absent or blurry.
Sharon's own show
After the success of The Osbournes, Sharon wanted to create her own show. She succeeded, and it went on the screen, but did not last long and was closed after the first season. According to some reports, Sharon did not cope with the role of the presenter and was unable to interest the audience with her work. The Sharon Osbourne show had very low ratings and it became clear that there would be no continuation.
Divorce Information
In 2016, the sad news spread around the world of show business - the Osbournes are getting divorced. One of the strongest alliances in the music world has cracked after 33 years of marriage. And if in her youth Sharon Osbourne could still put up with the wild antics of her husband, then in adulthood, apparently, the patience came to an end. She found out about her husband's infidelities and filed for divorce. However, six months later, information appeared on the Web that the couple had reconciled and decided to save their family. Sharon admitted that she went through difficult work on herself with a psychotherapist and was able to forgive the unfaithful Ozzy. He, in turn, promised to love her even more. In the photo, Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy after reconciliation.
We hope that this bright family will carry such a strong and lasting union through their whole lives, setting an example for the younger generation.
From dirt to… the fathers of heavy metal - this is literally how you can describe the life path of the great and terrible Ozzy Osbourne. His career is reminiscent of a horror story with an aggressively brutal soundtrack. It had everything: bitten off bat heads, pieces of flesh flying from the stage, scandals and illegal substances. But gloom and darkness are not the only components of the biography of the musician, whose name is inscribed in the British Music Hall of Fame. Not without love, care for children and attention to public problems in his life. But first things first.
short biography
John Michael Osbourne, who later became known as Ozzy, was destined to be born into a poor family. This event happened on December 3, 1948 in the English city of Birmingham. One bed for all the children, of whom there were six along with our hero, the lack of running water and a meager wardrobe - this was approximately the everyday reality that surrounded the future rock musician.
John Osborne's childhood can hardly be called outstanding. Playing outside, arguing with siblings, studying at school - everything is like everyone else. But he did not like to study, therefore, having completed the school curriculum at the age of 15, he went to work as a messenger, and then as an assistant plumber. But these professions did not cause much enthusiasm among the young man. Then he went to the slaughterhouse, where he slaughtered more than 200 sheep daily. Here, Ozzy also did not last long, changing the bloody place of work to the car factory where his mother worked.
No job brought the young British enough money. The young man decides to go the other way - to become a thief and get rich. The plan failed almost immediately thanks to gloves with cut fingers. The capture was followed by a sentence and imprisonment for six months.
After leaving prison, Ozzy forgets about the thieves' life and again begins to earn money anywhere. But constantly surviving was not for him. The solution to financial problems came from the world of show business. At that time, The Beatles shone on the stage. The success of the Liverpool Four made a big impression on Ozzy. Comparing this fact with the fact that he once took part in musical teams, the young man sets himself a new goal - to make money on music.
To begin with, the future rock musician tried himself as a soloist in several British bands. But Ozzy's ambition and short temper soon led him to leave the roster and want to start his own team. A simple ad in the newspaper led him to aspiring guitarist Tarance Butler, a former classmate of Tony Iommi and Bill Ward. Young people called themselves Earth and gave concerts under this name until 1969.
But one event forced the legendary metalhead to reconsider the concept of the created musical group. They became the rental of the horror film "Black Sabbath". Or rather, the number of people bursting into cinemas. If others like evil spirits and everything connected with it so much, then why not give it to them? So the Black Sabbath band appeared on the scene, performing gloomy music. But among the mournful guitar parts, there were also notes of jazz - the past of the musicians and the view of the world of music of the current manager Jim Simson affected.
A new wave of speeches begins. True, not very successful. Everything changed on February 13, 1970 due to one accident. Someone posted an upside down cross on the front of Black Sabbat's new album. A satanic role was assigned to the musicians. The record's sales skyrocketed, and its position in the US chart reached number three. Whether there is a connection here is not known for certain. But the fact remains that the popularity of Black Sabbath began to grow.
A tight concert schedule and the constant screams of children, whom Osbourne already had three by that time, put pressure on him. He begins to abuse alcohol and drugs. Shaken his mental state and the death of his father. Relations in the group become tense due to the inappropriate behavior of the main soloist. In 1979, the rocker leaves the created team. A period of hopeless drug and alcohol intoxication begins, from which Sharon Arden, his future wife, helped him get out. It was she who made him assemble a new group and return to the world of music.
So, in 1980, the debut album “Blizzard of Ozz” appeared on the shelves of music stores, which is still in great demand among heavy metal fans. A year later, the second solo album "Diary Of A Madman" was released. The success was repeated: crowds of fans are buying up the album.
I must say that the composition of the group of the legendary metalhead was constantly changing. Some musicians could not stand the behavior of the soloist, others retired due to financial problems. But this did not stop Ozzy from collecting stadiums and giving all the best.
How did Ozzy's career develop further? According to all the rules of rock life. Constant concerts, tours, eccentric antics, alcohol and drugs, subsequent rehabilitation from addictions and, of course, the recognition of a legendary musician in him.
What is age for Ozzy Osbourne? Just a number. He is 68, but he is not going to end his musical career. Harmful addictions are a thing of the past (he was even entrusted with writing a column about a healthy lifestyle), but hard rock has not disappeared from his blood. You can no longer expect crazy actions from him, but good compositions - yes.
Interesting Facts
- The creative pseudonym Ozzy has several versions of origin. According to the first, this is just an abbreviated version of the surname, which was assigned to him during his school years. The second claims that the musician named himself so in honor of the Wizard of Oz - the character of the children's book of the same name.
- Reading, according to Osborne, is one of the best ways to spend your leisure time usefully. But in his life, the famous artist was able to read only a couple of books from cover to cover. The reason is dyslexia. It is this disorder that prevents a man from correctly understanding words and the text as a whole.
- To make a positive impression on the owners of the CBS label, with whom Ozzy planned to collaborate as a solo artist, Sharon came up with a cunning plan. She invited the musician to come to the meeting with three white doves and release them to the public. John Michael decided to replay the script: in front of everyone, he bit off the head of one of the birds. What made him do it? An extra dose of alcohol. Those present were shocked, but the contract was signed - the youth became interested in the crazy musician.
- There is a legend that the participants of Black Sabbat were cursed by a real witch. Her anger was caused by the group's refusal to play a concert at the satanic gathering. Sinister spells resulted in the uncertainty of the musicians. Then Ozzy's father made aluminum crosses for everyone, which were later replaced with gold ones.
- Young Ozzy Osbourne's prison sentence could have lasted less than 6 months if his father had paid bail for him. But he showed pedagogical wisdom, which the wayward son appreciated - the theft was over.
- Ozzy was able to get a driver's license only at the age of 60. He proudly announced this event on social networks. So far, there have been 19 unsuccessful attempts to pass the exam. After receiving the coveted document, the rock musician managed to crash the new Ferrari on his first independent trip. Of course, he lost his driver's license.
- Ozzy's phenomenality lies not only in a successful career, but also in longevity. At the time of writing, the musician is 68 years old! He is quite alert and capable. It seems that the consequences of long-term use of drugs, alcohol and other drugs have passed him. What is so special about his body and immune system, geneticists will have to figure it out - the British have already bequeathed his body to scientists for study.
- Some data on Osborne's health is already available. American researchers took blood samples from the famous British man and studied his DNA. It turned out that Ozzy Osbourne is a descendant of Neanderthals. This news did not surprise the singer - his antics while intoxicated are proof of this. The musician is also involved in the Romanov dynasty. According to the study, he is a distant relative of Nicholas II.
- The King of Darkness also has thoughts about his own funeral. All requirements boil down to one thought - it must be funny and with a touch of black humor. For example, knocking from the coffin would be useful.
- Ozzy loves to tickle the nerves of others. This proves the case at Madame Tussauds. Instead of walking between the exhibits, the man froze in a motionless pose on the couch. Visitors who decided to take a picture with the figure of the great musician were treated to a spectacular sight in the form of Ozzy Osbourne coming to life.
- John Michael knows what poverty is, so he does not hesitate to give money to the poor. A gold chain with a crucifix, 100-dollar bills are used when he sees tramps and beggars around him. Also, together with his wife, Ozzy participates in charity events.
- Tattoo rocker compares with drug addiction. Having pinned one drawing, you certainly want to continue to “decorate” the body with all sorts of images. Ozzy regrets many of his tattoos. For example, he does not understand why he pinned a smiley face on his knee! At more than 60 years old, it looks at least funny, according to the musician.
- The legendary metalhead once said that on his tombstone, a bitten off bat's head must be mentioned. Indeed, this case will forever remain with Ozzy. The matter was as follows. For performances, the rocker took pieces of flesh and threw them into the auditorium. The audience picked up the idea and began to throw the stage with the bodies of dead cats, the internal organs of animals, etc. One day, someone threw a bat onto the stage. The musician thought it was a toy and bit off her head. The mouse suddenly came to life and glared at Ozzy. It all ended with a hospital and injections for rabies.
- Shooting a video for the song "So Tired" could have ended badly for the rock singer. During the work of the film crew, a large mirror suddenly broke. Its fragments pierced right into Osborne's neck. The performer was taken to the hospital, and the scheduled performances were cancelled.
- In 2010, Ozzy's autobiographical book, I Am Ozzy, was released. It contains true facts from the life of a rocker, humor and self-irony inherent in a musician.
The best songs of Ozzy Osbourne
- « Mama, I'm Coming Home". Judging by the title line, the musician sings about his mother. This is not entirely true. He calls his wife, Sharon, his mother. It was to her that he dedicated this composition. By the way, the title of the song is quite autobiographical. With this phrase, Ozzy informed his wife by phone about his return from the tour.
"Mama, I "m Coming Home" (listen)
- « Crazy Train is a heavy metal classic and Osbourne's first single as a soul artist. It sings about the madness of the modern world: military operations, fears and indifference of people towards each other.
"Crazy Train" (listen)
- « dreamer"- one of the rocker's favorite songs. It is very similar to John Lennon's "Imagine". And this is not surprising - Ozzy has repeatedly spoken about his admiration for Lennon's work. The single was only able to occupy the 10th line in the charts, which does not prevent metal fans from singing it for more than 15 years.
"Dreamer" (listen)
- « paranoid". This song was born by chance. The Black Sabbath group was preparing to release a second album, but all the songs were too short - one more was needed to fill the record. Half an hour later, "Paranoid" was ready, which overnight became the title track of the album. By the way, in 2002, Ozzy performed it at the anniversary of Elizabeth II. What is the track about? About a depressed person who is not happy with anything.
- « Changes"- a beautiful ballad about relationships, known to many performed by Ozzy and his daughter Kelly. Originally, the song was recorded in 1972 by Black Sabbath and was rarely played live. The composition began to play in a new way in 2003, when the father and daughter decided to record a duet. In addition to the first place in the charts, the track received a Grammy nomination.
Ozzy Osbourne's personal life
Almost everyone knows about the union of Ozzy and Sharon. But Sharon is the second legal wife of a rock musician. Thelma Mayfair was his first wife. The man married her in 1971 and immediately adopted Thelma's five-year-old son, Elliot. Soon the family acquired common children: a daughter and a son.
It seems that it was Thelma who was supposed to provide support to her husband who got lost in problems and “pull” him out of deep drunkenness. But Sharon did it. Fate brought them together by chance. A plump brown-haired woman went to the already former soloist of Black Sabbat for a debt and ... became his legal wife. But this celebration was destined to occur only after 3 years. In the meantime, Sharon is trying in every possible way to instill in a man who is intoxicated with drugs, confidence in his musical talent. As history has shown, she succeeded.
The enterprising girl bought out the contract with Ozzy Osbourne from her own father, who at that time was producing pseudo-Satanists, and took on the duties of the producer of the newly-made boyfriend. The solo career of the King of Darkness began under the strict guidance of Sharon.
Sharon and Ozzy got married on July 4, 1982. The date was not chosen by chance. So, the rock musician insured himself against forgetfulness: on July 4, the United States celebrates Independence Day. In the next three years, their family increased by exactly one member: first Amy was born, then Kelly and finally Jack.
Raising children, working as a producer and the constant antics of her alcoholic husband - it's no wonder why Sharon is admired by others. Despite all the ups and downs, this couple is still together. 35 years of marriage of two hearts devoted to rock music.
And how did the veteran of the rock genre show care? He was by his wife's side when she was diagnosed with cancer. He supports his children in their endeavors and enjoys playing with his grandchildren.
At the beginning of the 2000s, everyone could watch the life of the Osbournes thanks to the reality show The Osbournes. True, the eldest daughter, Aimee, refused to take part in the show.
Ozzfest or the triumphant return of Ozzy Osbourne
In 1991, the famous British releases his sixth studio album "No More Tears". In support of him, he goes on a tour, in the title of which the word tears was replaced with tours. "No more tours" - so, Ozzy decided to tell everyone about his retirement from music. The fatigue from constant concerts and the need to spend more time with the family affected.
But in 1996, the thirst for huge stadiums and crazy energy took over the rock musician. Osborne expressed a desire to take part in the Lollapalooza festival and was refused - the organizers considered the King of Darkness too old for such events.
It is not customary in the Osborne family to give up. Sharon offered to organize her own festival. So, in the fall of 1996, the first Ozzfest took place in the USA. The idea of an enterprising couple was well accepted by hard rock fans - after 2 years the festival was already enjoyed in the UK.
Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Linkin Park and other rock artists took part in Ozzfest. A large-scale show is held every year in the summer.
Films about Ozzy Osbourne and with his participation
In 2011, the film "God Save Ozzy Osbourne" appeared on the screens. It tells about the life of a musician, from childhood to the moment of filming. The tape was produced by Ozzy's son, Jack.
You can also see the legendary British vocalist in feature films. He played himself in Austin Powers: Goldmember, the band manager in The Jokers, and also did the voice acting for the animated film Gnomeo and Juliet.
Heavy rock music finds its fans among filmmakers as well. In which tapes can we hear the voice of the King of Darkness?
|
Movie |
Composition |
|
"Megamind" (2010) |
Crazy Train |
|
"Ghost Rider" (2007) |
Crazy Train |
|
"We Are One Team" (2006) |
"Paranoid" |
|
"Moulin Rouge" (2001) |
"Children Of The Revolution" |
|
"Nikki the Devil Jr" (2000) |
"Mama, I'm Coming Home", "Flying High Again" "No More Tears" |
|
"Almost Famous" |
"Paranoid" "Sweet Leaf" |
|
"Detroit - City of Rock" (1999) |
"Iron Man" |
|
"About death, about love" (1994) |
"Hellraiser" |
|
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1992) |
"Party With The Animals" |
|
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) |
"Hellraiser" |
In fact, the list of films in which Osborne's work is involved has long exceeded the value of 100.
This is a brief history of the crazy and outrageous Ozzy Osbourne, without which it is impossible to imagine modern music.
Video: Listen to Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne real name is John Michael Osbourne. Born December 3, 1948 in Birmingham. British musician, one of the founders and member of the "golden composition" of the Black Sabbath group.
After leaving Black Sabbath, he began his solo career.
As of December 2010, more than 100 million of his records have been sold worldwide. The albums "Blizzard of Ozz" and "No More Tears" were certified quadro-platinum.
John Michael Osborne was born December 3, 1948 in the UK, in Birmingham and became the fourth child in a family of six children. He got the nickname "Ozzy" during his school years. So his classmates called him, distorting his last name.
According to other information, the nickname "Ozzy" stuck to him, since as a child his favorite book was - "The Wizard of Oz", which he often quoted. This work became widely known to the readers of our country after Alexander Volkov's retelling under the title "The Wizard of the Emerald City".
Tony Iommi studied at the same school, but at that time they were not friends. Their creative union, which marked the beginning of the Black Sabbath group, was formed later.
At the age of 15, Osbourne was expelled from school due to the difficult financial situation in the family, and the future rock musician got a job as a plumber's assistant. Subsequently, Ozzy tried to work as an assistant locksmith, a slaughterer at a slaughterhouse, an auto mechanic, a painter and even a gravedigger. Not finding himself in the field of honest work, young John Osborne tried to trade in thefts. Caught, he could not pay the fine and served (according to various sources: one and a half or three months) in a Birmingham prison. It was in prison that Ozzy made himself the famous OZZY tattoo on the knuckles of his left hand.
After leaving prison, Ozzy decided to try himself as a musician. He met the Music Machine group, who were looking for a vocalist - and Ozzy became one. Subsequently, deciding to start his own band, Osborne advertised in a local newspaper looking for like-minded people.
Terence Butler came on the announcement, by that time he had been learning to play the electric guitar for six months. A little later, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward joined them - on the same announcement. With the arrival of Iommi, Butler retrained as a bassist. The group was named "Earth".
Ozzy got into Black Sabbath three days after posting an "Ozzy Zigg Requires gig" ad at a local record store.
Bill Ward recalls his first meeting with Ozzy: “He walked around with a shoe on a string ... yes, yes, with a shoe. I thought he was crazy (laughs)".
The band's first own song was "Black Sabbath", inspired by the 1963 horror film of the same name. It was a progressive blues based on the motif "Mars" from the "Planets" suite by composer Gustav Holst. Prior to this, the group played cover versions of songs by other artists.
From 1969 to 1970 the band played in various clubs while working on their own material. One day, someone took notice of the Birmingham Four's own song, "Black Sabbath," sparking thoughts of the first record. Also, young people found out that there is already a group called "Earth". So they changed their name to "Black Sabbath" - after their first song. In January 1970, the group managed to record their first album, which took good places in the English and American charts.
In 1971, Ozzy married for the first time to Thelma Riley.
In 1975, the group decides to change their manager. Don Arden, the father of Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's future wife, becomes the new manager of Black Sabbath.
In 1977, Ozzy left Black Sabbath and was replaced by Dave Walker. The band began recording Never Say Die, however, Ozzy returned in early 1978. At this time, Ozzy was experiencing the death of his father, actively abusing alcohol and drugs. According to other sources, Ozzy's drinking began long before that, Iommi claimed that by that time he had not seen Ozzy sober for several years. The recording of the album proceeded with great difficulties, in particular, Ozzy demanded to rewrite all the lyrics, including the song Junior's Eyes, which Ozzy dedicated to his father. The album was followed by a tour, after which Ozzy finally left Black Sabbath.
Iommi already had sketches for the next album, Heaven and Hell, and he also met Ronnie James Dio, who recently left Rainbow and did not have his own band at that time.
Bill Ward did the job of letting Ozzy know that the band no longer wanted to work with him. Both Ozzy and Tony Iommi admitted in subsequent interviews that this was precisely the dismissal. However, Osbourne admitted that parting with Black Sabbath was a relief for him.
After leaving Black Sabbath, Ozzy spent time doing nothing until Sharon Arden, the daughter of his former band's manager, persuaded him to start a new band. Osbourne advertised in a newspaper looking for musicians. One of the guitarists who came to audition was Randal William (Randy) Rhoads.
As Rhoads said in one of his few interviews, he did not know with whom he would have to work. Arriving at the studio for an audition with his amplifier and electric guitar, he was ushered into an empty room. There, Randy connected his equipment and began to "warm up." Suddenly, Ozzy appeared in the room, giving a verdict of "passed!" and ignoring the guitarist's objections that he hadn't started playing yet. According to another version, Ozzy was touched by the fact that Rhoads played the notes.
Bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep also joined the band. With this line-up, they released their first album Blizzard of Ozz and went on a concert tour, the first performance of which was a concert on September 12, 1980 in Glasgow. To release his solo album, Ozzy Osbourne needed a record deal. After numerous rejections, Ozzy eventually managed to reach an agreement with CBS, which, however, did not take the project with the degree of seriousness that Osbourne had hoped for, considering the latter to be another minor event.
To change his impressions for the better, Ozzy, on the advice of Sharon, brought two pigeons to the company's office - with the original intention of releasing them in front of an astonished public and thus attracting public attention.
The trick worked, though not quite the way it was intended. After releasing the first pigeon - as expected - Osborne unexpectedly bit off the head of the second. This action was captured by the studio photographer, and soon the photos appeared in most newspapers. This is unlikely to have influenced (in a positive way) the management of the record company, but it has created an understandable interest in Osbourne among young people.
It is not known whether this action was planned this way from the very beginning: neither Sharon nor Ozzy himself clarified the motives for this act. The only comment that the singer made about this was to admit that he was very drunk at that moment.
The 1980 album "Blizzard of Ozz" was very popular. Randy Rhoads was named "Best Young Talent" in Guitar Player magazine. Stylistically, the album is close to Black Sabbath's "Technical Ecstasy", but has a harder, "metallic" sound. The lyrics of the song "Suicide Solution" later became the object of criticism due to the ambiguous interpretation of the word "solution": "solution" and "liquid" (thus, the title can be translated in different ways: "Decision to commit suicide", "Suicide decision" or "Suicidal Liquid").
A year later, Ozzy and his band recorded their second album, The Diary of a Madman. By that time, the line-up had been updated - the rhythm section went to the reorganized Uriah Heep, and Kerslake and Daisley were replaced by Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo, respectively. According to Osbourne himself, this album turned out to be better than the previous one. Stylistically, he was more rigid, especially the first composition - "Over the Mountain". However, the musicians themselves looked back at the charts: competitors in the person of Black Sabbath with the album "Mob Rules" reached only the 29th position, while Diary of a Madman stayed in the Top-15 for some time. Interestingly, the authorship of the songs belongs entirely to the previous line-up of the group.
During the tour, Ozzy amused himself by throwing raw meat at the audience who came to his concerts. However, this was part of the contract: during the concert, Osborne had to throw about ten kilograms of veal liver and pork offal into the hall. Sometimes this part of the show took unexpected turns: for example, after one of the concerts, someone called the group's management and asked how to wash raw blood.
However, the public quickly picked up the idea. Soon, in response to Ozzy's antics on stage, dead cats, frogs, snakes and other stuff that had once been living creatures began flying at him. Once, someone threw a doll (life size) onto the stage. Ozzy was shocked, at first mistaking her for a real baby.
On January 20, in Iowa, during a concert, someone threw a live bat from the audience onto the stage. The stunned animal lay silently on the stage, fluttering slightly. Ozzy, mistaking a bat for a rubber one, decided to provoke the audience by biting a gift that unexpectedly flew to him. In response, the bat bit Osborne himself. As a result, the concert ended with the immediate removal of the vocalist to the hospital in order to be vaccinated against rabies. Ozzy entered the emergency room barking like a dog. When an American nurse asked him what was the matter, Ozzy barked at her, explaining that he had rabies. When anti-tetanus injections began, repeated every 4 days, the patient was no longer in the mood for jokes. This story got into the newspapers and incredible things began to happen at Osborne's concerts: white mice and birds with their legs tied were thrown onto the stage. One of the spectators was caught trying to drag a dead cat into the hall. Others still managed to carry a dead dog. Then there was the case of the snake and the great Louisiana toad, which the little tormentors killed by skinning it. In the city of Cincinnati, a group of teenagers got hold of the head of a freshly slaughtered bull at a local meat packing plant. However, they were stopped just in time.
In March 1982, the band lost their guitarist, Randy Rhoads. During a US tour, the band's bus stopped for repairs near Leesburg, Florida. To pass the time, the bus driver offered the group members a ride in his plane. On the second run, the plane took Randy Rhoads and the band's hairdresser, Rachel Youngblood. The driver himself took the place of the pilot. The ex-wife of the driver was with the group, next to the bus. According to her, he suddenly decided to kill her by crushing her with a plane. According to her, the plane made three very low circles over the bus, hitting it on the fourth attempt. After the collision, the plane was thrown into a nearby building, where it exploded. The pilot and passengers of the aircraft died at the scene. A subsequent investigation revealed that the pilot was under the influence of drugs.
Randy Rhoads and Ozzy worked on the idea of the band's third record, Bark at the Moon. Ozzy stated that despite the death of a friend, he will continue to work. To fulfill contractual obligations, Osbourne had to release a live album. There was recorded material from concerts with the late Rhoads, but Ozzy considered it unethical to release this disc immediately after the death of a friend (an album called "The Rhandy Roads Tribute" was released in 1987). But true to his contractual obligations, Ozzy recruited guitarist Brad Gillis into the band and recorded a live album, Talk of the Devil (in the American version, Speak of the Devil), which consisted entirely of Black Sabbath material. But it was not possible to avoid accusations of being unethical - Ozzy was criticized by Tony Iommi, who believed that Ozzy was not the author of most of the songs presented on the album, although his name is indicated as such on all the group's albums from 1970 to 1978.
Jake E. Lee became the new guitarist. Jake Lee, half-Japanese by origin, studied piano as a child, but his youthful passion for the guitar gradually overcame his interest in classical music. From the classics, Jake left a serious professional attitude to the instrument, that is, many hours of daily practice developed his guitar playing technique.
The album's title track "Bark at the Moon" tells of a living being (a werewolf) who has returned seeking revenge on those who despised him and took him to his grave. In the video for this song, Ozzy plays a mad scientist imprisoned in an insane asylum. From the window, he sees a werewolf watching him. This song, as well as others, could set listeners to negative thoughts.
Stylistically, the album turned out to be softer, closer in sound to soft metal. The song "Rock'n'roll Rebel" became a real rock anthem.
In 1986, Ozzy recorded the album The Ultimate Sin. And goes on tour in support of both albums. Ozzy later said that this album is the poorest in terms of musical ideas. The album turned out to be the softest, diluted synth sound. The text concept was based on the ideas of peace and non-violence.
On March 19, 1987, the Randy Rhoad's Tribute album was released, containing archival recordings selected by Max Norman (producer of Ozzy's first three solo albums). It included live recordings of material from the first two albums (primarily from the first album, which was almost completely presented in a live version), several Black Sabbath songs and a studio recording of an instrumental composition by Dee.
On the next album, No Rest for the Wicked, Ozzy enlisted the talented guitarist Zach Wylde, who became a very important part of the band for the next few years. Sharon, Ozzy's wife, becomes the band's manager and helps the musician get rid of alcohol addiction. In The Decline of Western Civilization: The Metal Years, Ozzy is portrayed as a sober housekeeper reassuring that he no longer "don't bitch up with women". The sound of the next album turned out to be stronger, although a touch of soft metal was felt. Characteristic was the absence of ballads on the album. The most interesting compositions were "Breaking All the Rules" with a "signature" transition from minor to major and the gloomy "Bloodbath in Paradise". In the song "Demon Alcohol" Ozzy talks about the struggle with alcohol addiction. For the tour, Ozzy brought in longtime friend and Black Sabbath colleague Geezer Butler (who also appears in the videos). In 1989, the live EP "Just Say Ozzy" was released.
In March 1989, the single "Close My Eyes Forever" was released, recorded with Lita Ford, and entered the top ten in the United States. In 1991, Ozzy released the album "No More Tears", but without the usual enthusiasm he holds concerts, explaining that he wants to spend more time with his family. The tour in support of the album was called "No more tours", that is, "No more tours." The album turned out to be very worthy, the song “Mama, I’m Coming Home” (dedicated to Sharon’s wife) and “I Don’t Want to Change the World” were awarded music awards. After that, Ozzy announces the cessation of active musical activity. However, this does not prevent him from reuniting with Black Sabbath for a couple of concerts in 1992 (which was the reason for the departure of Ronnie Dio, who did not want to sing as an opening act for Ozzy).
After a long break in 1994, Ozzy announces the future release of a new album, recorded with Steve Vai. He also teams up with Therapy to sing lead vocals on the song "Iron Man" for the Black Sabbath tribute compilation Nativity in Black.
In 1995, Ozzy, with the participation of Rick Wakeman (who previously worked with Black Sabbath on the album "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath") and Zach Wild, recorded the album "Ozzmosis", which can be considered the most successful since the first two albums. Ozzy successfully mixed hard numbers like "Perry Mason" with softer ones ("I See You on the Other Side"), and also improved in signature transitions ("My Jekyll Doesn't Hide"). A significant event was also a reunion with bassist Geezer Butler. The tour guitarist was a student of Randy Rhoads named Holmes. The album was supported by an international tour.
In 1997, rumors of a Black Sabbath reunion became a reality. The group reunited with the original line-up and staged an international tour. 2 new songs were recorded, but the promised album never came out. Gradually, Ozzy and Tony returned to solo activities. In 2000, Ozzy recorded the song "Who is Fooling Who" for Tony Iommi's solo album.
In 2001, Ozzy's album Down to Earth was released, demonstrating even more heaviness of the sound and excellent quality of the material, so that the new release, perhaps, even surpassed Ozzmosis. Not without lyrics - the song "Dreamer" was willingly played even by pop radio stations.
In 2005, the album "Under Cover" was released with cover versions of songs that influenced Ozzy (among them the songs of Lennon and the Beatles occupied a special place). A 4-disc Prince of Darkness box set is also released, including, in addition to the collection and covers, Ozzy's duets with various musicians.
In 2007, a new album "Black Rain" was released. Ozzy is not afraid to experiment with sound, but in general the album is inferior to its predecessor. Ozzy himself admitted that this is "my first album that I recorded while sober."
On June 22, 2010, the tenth solo album "Scream" was released, which was announced on the official website. Its release was preceded by an advertising campaign held at Madame Tussauds in New York. Ozzy sat motionless on a couch in one of the halls of wax figures, and when fans of his work approached him to take pictures, Osbourne stood up abruptly or simply scared the visitors with a scream.
In October 2010, Osbourne recorded a cover version of "How?" in honor of the 70th anniversary of the ex-Beatle. The song was originally released on Lennon's second solo album Imagine in 1971. All proceeds from the sale of the composition are donated to the human rights organization Amnesty International.
Ozzfest is a festival founded by Ozzy Osbourne. He travels with tours around the world, in the Ozzfest 2004 traveling festival, along with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Linkin Park, Slayer, Superjoint Ritual, Dimmu Borgir, System of a Down, KoRn, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Metallica, Godsmack took part and other "heavy" groups. A significant role in the development of the festival was played by Ozzy's young son Jack Osbourne, who from a certain moment began to perform the functions of program director.
In June 2010, Ozzy decided to donate his body to science, claiming that his body is unique: “Apparently, I am a real medical miracle! I drank for forty years and nothing happened to me. I got drunk, passed out, and then came back to myself. I think I should bequeath my body to the Natural History Museum in London.".
The Knome company assured that they will make his genetic map in order to find out why the musician is still alive. According to Nathan Pearson, director of research at Knome, studying people with unusual medical histories has enormous scientific potential. Among other things, scientists hope that as a result of the study, the mechanism of assimilation of drugs by the body will be clarified.
At the end of October, data from genetic studies were published. According to scientists, Ozzy is a descendant of Neanderthals and ancient Romans who died as a result of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79. It was also established that the musician is a distant relative of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II and the King of Great Britain George I. In addition, the researchers found that Osborne is related to the famous American criminal of the XIX century Jesse James. The researchers found that Osborne has more stamina than the average person, and the ability of his body to cope with the effects of alcohol and drug use exceeds the average.
In July 2010, Osborne was invited to write a healthy lifestyle column for the American magazine Rolling Stone.
In 1987, he took part in the music video for "Loud and Clear" by the band Autograph.
A story about a teenager's suicide in 1981:
In 1986, Ozzy was arrested on a plane at the Los Angeles airport. The allegations presented to the vocalist were that a certain 19-year-old teenager shot himself while inspired by the song "Suicide Solution". The prosecution claimed that the song itself contains special noises that affect the subconscious and hypnotize the listener.
Osbourne's lawyers managed to prove that there are no extraneous sounds on the recording, and the lyrics of the song cannot be the subject of a lawsuit, as it falls under the first amendment to the US constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech.
By the way, it should be noted that the text of the song itself does not call for suicide: excessive addiction to alcohol is compared with suicide in the song. According to Ozzy, he wrote the song "Suicide Solution" under the influence of the news of the death of AC / DC vocalist Bon Scott, who choked on vomit as a result of extreme intoxication. Bob Daisley, who claimed credit for the song, stated that the lyrics were written because Ozzy himself had a serious drinking problem at the time.
Financial fraud in the payment of fees:
In 1998, former members of Ozzy Osbourne's solo musical project - bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles District Court against Osbourne and his wife, accusing them of financial fraud when paying fees to musicians. The litigation issue concerned the payment of royalties for the first two albums: Blizzard of Ozz - 1980 and Diary of a Madman - 1981. The trial court dismissed the claim, prompting the musicians to appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal, which upheld the lower court's decision in 2003.
Ozzy Osbourne Personal Life:
At the age of 21 he married Thelma Riley, has two children from this marriage. Osborne also adopted Thelma's son from her first marriage.
Divorced in 1981 at age 33. On July 4, 1982, he married Sharon Osbourne, who takes care of all the affairs and schedule of her husband. Married to Sharon, he has three children - Amy, Kelly and Jack.
In autobiography "I am Ozzy" Osborne writes candidly about his many years of struggle with alcoholism. According to the singer, he began to abuse alcohol from about the age of eighteen, and by the age of forty he became a chronic alcoholic who drank three to four bottles of strong alcohol (vodka or cognac) a day. He repeatedly tried to get rid of his addiction, turning to various rehabilitation centers (including the Betty Ford Clinic), was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, but periods of sobriety were replaced by hard drinking. During treatment for alcoholism, he also became addicted to drugs (Vicodin, Valium, etc.). Osborne finally stopped drinking and abusing drugs only in the middle of the 2000s.
Discography of Ozzy Osbourne:
Black Sabbath studio albums
1970 - Black Sabbath
1970 - Paranoid
1971 - Master of Reality
1972 - Black Sabbath Vol. 4
1973 - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
1975 - Sabotage
1976 - Technical Ecstasy
1978 - Never Say Die!
2013 - 13
Black Sabbath live albums
1980 - Live at Last
1998 - Reunion
2002 - Past Lives
Black Sabbath compilations
1975 - We Sold Our Soul for Rock N' Roll
1996 - The Sabbath Stones
2002 - Symptom of the Universe
2004 - Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978)
2006 - Black Sabbath: Greatest Hits 1970-1978
Ozzy Osbourne Solo Career:
Studio albums by Ozzy Osbourne:
1980 - Blizzard of Ozz
1981 - Diary of a Madman
1983 - Bark at the Moon
1986 - The Ultimate Sin
1988 - No Rest for the Wicked
1991 - No More Tears
1995 - Ozzmosis
2001 - Down to Earth
2005 - Undercover
2007 - Black Rain
2010 - Scream
Ozzy Osbourne live albums:
1982 - Speak of the Devil
1987 - Tribute
1990 - Just Say Ozzy
1993 - Live & Loud
2002 - Live at Budokan
Singles by Ozzy Osbourne:
1980 - Crazy Train
1988 - Crazy Babies
1992 - Mama I'm Coming Home
1996 - See You on the Other Side
2001 - Gets Me Through
2002 - Dreamer
2007 - I Don't Wanna Stop
2010 - Let Me Hear You Scream
2012 - Beliver (7" cartoon CD)
Ozzy Osbourne compilations:
1989 - Best of Ozz
1997 - The Ozzman Cometh
1998 - Chef Aid: The South Park Album
2002 - Osbournes, The - The Osbourne Family Album
2003 - The Essential
2005 - Prince of Darkness
2011 - 30th Anniversary Deluxe Boxed Set
2014 - Memoirs of a Madman
Filmography of Ozzy Osbourne:
1986 - Candy or Death "Trick or Treat" at the Internet Movie Database
1986 - Storm Riders (American Way, The) "The American Way"
1988 - The Decline of Western Civilization Part II, the Metal Years
1994 - Gouging (The Jerky Boys)
1997 - Body Parts "Private Parts"
2000 - Nikki the Devil Jr.
2001 - Moulin Rouge! (voiceover)
2002 - Austin Powers: Goldmember
2007 - Comic Relief 2007: The Big One
2010 - The Greatest Song Ever Written: Gyre & Gimbol
2010 - Guys Choice
2011 - Gnomeo and Juliet (voice)
2011 - God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (autobiographical film)
Bibliography of Ozzy Osbourne:
1986 - Diary of a Madman - The Official Biography of Ozzy Osbourne, Zomba Books. - ISBN 978-0-9463-9146-2.
1999 - Paranoid: Black Days With Sabbath & Other Horror Stories, Mainstream. - ISBN 978-1-8515-8993-7.
2000 - Devil Music: the True Story of Ozzy and Sabbath, Mainstream. - ISBN 978-1-8401-8666-6.
2004 - Mr Big: Ozzy, Sharon and My Life as the Godfather of Rock, Robson Books. - ISBN 978-1-8610-5607-8.
2008 - Osbournes Confidential: An Insider's Chronicle, JR Books. - ISBN 978-1-9062-1773-0.
2010 - I Am Ozzy, Bargain Price. - ISBN 978-1-84744-346-5.
2011 - Trust Me, I'm Dr. Ozzy: Advice from Rock's Ultimate Survivor, Hachette Book Group. - ISBN 978-1-45550-333-9.
Ozzy Osbourne is a British rock musician, one of the founders of the cult band Black Sabbath, which is the founder of such musical styles as hard rock and heavy metal. Ozzy Osbourne is considered the "godfather" of heavy metal and is inducted into the British Rock Hall of Fame.
John Osborne was born in the English city of Birmingham in a large family. He was the 4th child, and in total his parents raised 6 children. The family huddled in a 3-room house, as the parents could not afford a larger apartment. His father, John Thomas Osborne, was a tool maker for the General Electric Company and worked nights, while his mother, Lillian, worked in the same factory during the day.
The boy got his nickname Ozzy in elementary school. It was a diminutive form of the surname, which was successfully combined with the name of the magical land, about which young John was fond of stories.
Due to the difficult financial situation of the family, Osborne could not finish school and left it at the age of 15. He got a job as a plumber's assistant, but was soon fired. Then the young man changed a number of professions - from a slaughterer in a slaughterhouse to a gravedigger in a cemetery, but he could not stay anywhere for a long time.
The difficult financial situation led him to a crooked path, and John Osborne tried to commit a burglary, was caught and spent several months in prison. While in prison, he made his first tattoo, which would later become very famous - the letters "OZZY" on the phalanges of the fingers of his left hand.
Freed, Ozzy decides to fulfill his teenage dream of becoming a rock star. At the age of 14, he began dreaming about the stage after he heard the hit "She Loves You" by The Beatles. Osbourne becomes the vocalist of the young band Music Machine, with which he worked only 2 concerts.
Then the young man decided to create his own collective "The Polka Tulk Blues Band", in which he gathered novice musicians by placing an ad on a stand in a music store. Soon the group was renamed "Earth", but then, registering for the next competition, it was renamed again, since this name was already taken. The choice fell on "Black Sabbath" - just by analogy with the popular horror film that was in theaters at that time.
Black Sabbath
At first, the musicians performed cover versions of famous hits. In 1969, they wrote their first song of their own, and in February 1970, in just 3 days at the recording studio, they recorded their debut album, which received the same name as the group. Today this disc is considered a heavy metal classic, but at one time it took only 8th place in the charts.
The guys did not delay for a long time with a new record and released their second album six months later. The disc "Paranoid" conquered the charts of Europe and America and brought the group worldwide popularity. The album turned out to be frankly anti-war, many songs directly condemned the events taking place in Vietnam, which is why they were taken out of rotation on American radio. However, "Paranoid" has sold over 4 million copies in the US alone. Interestingly, the title track, which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Black Sabbath, was written at the last moment, simply because there was not enough recorded material for a full-length album.
Together with Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne worked until 1977 and recorded 5 more studio albums, after which he left the group for a year. In 1978, he returned, participated in the work on the Never Say Die! disc, but was subsequently fired due to alcohol and drug abuse, and former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio took his place in the team.
Later, in 1997, Black Sabbath will reunite with the original line-up and give several concerts, but the band's fans had to wait for a new album with Ozzy's vocals right up to 2013, when the 13 record was released.
Solo career
For a long time after parting with the group, Ozzy indulged in idleness, until Sharon Arden, the daughter of his former manager Don Arden, persuaded him to create his own project. Osborne gathered musicians and under his own name began to give concerts and record albums. A new round of fame began in Ozzy's musical biography.
The first disc "Blizzard of Ozz" was released in 1980 and became very popular. A special place in the history of rock music is occupied by the song "Crazy Train", which is included in this album. The composition did not take high places in the charts, but to this day it remains the singer's calling card and is included in almost all rock music collections, and the ringtone made from this song is included in the top 10 most popular calls for a mobile phone. For the song "Mr. Crowley", dedicated to, in the early 2000s, the musician created a number of versions and captured them on video.
Another song was notorious. Ozzy Osbourne claims that he wrote the lyrics for this composition as his opinion about the dangers of alcohol, with which he had serious problems. That is why the author compared this addiction with suicide. But in 1986, a 19-year-old teenager committed suicide after listening to "Suicide Solution" multiple times. Osbourne appeared before the court, but the lawyers managed to prove that there was no call for suicide in the song.
In the spring of 1989, the rock ballad "Close My Eyes Forever" was released, which Ozzy performed in a duet with American rock singer Lita Ford. The song hits the top 10 of the year in the US, and also appears in almost all world charts, still remaining one of the best ballads in the history of heavy metal.
In 1991, the artist recorded the popular song "Mom, I'm Coming Home", which he dedicated to his wife Sharon. As Osborne said in his own interviews, his wife not only inspired a change in creativity, but also helped to cope with alcohol addiction. The song entered the US Top 40 chart.
Osbourne often collaborated with other rock stars as well. For example, together with the famous guitarist Steve Way, he recorded several songs, but only one of them ("My Little Man") made it to the 1995 album "Ozzmosis". Ozzy recorded a video for the track "I Just Want You". Ozzy also sang a cover version of the 70s hit Iron Man with Therapy.
In 2001, Osbourne's studio album Down to Earth was released on the Epic label, which included the tracks Gets Me Through, Facing Hell, No Easy Way Out. The outrageous king once again surprised fans by placing his own x-ray on the cover. Ozzy recorded a video for the song "Dreamer". In 2002, the artist released a disc called "Greatest Hits" - an anthology of solo popular musical compositions.
Ozzy Osbourne has made a huge contribution to the development of rock music. The singer is considered one of the founders of hard rock and has the title of "godfather" of this genre. In 2009, Classic Rock magazine, and 2 years later, Kerrang! the singer was officially awarded in the Living Legend nomination.
The popularity of the musician is confirmed by such a slightly comical fact that in a 2004 sociological survey, when asked who is the most worthy representative of humanity who could greet aliens on behalf of earthlings, Ozzy Osbourne was named by more than half of the respondents, and he took first place, overtaking, and other celebrities.
Ozzy Osbourne became famous among fans for his strange and bloodthirsty antics. During a conversation with the managers of the record company, who intended to record the singer's first solo disc, the artist brought two snow-white doves. As planned, Osborne intended to release them into the sky. But instead of a beautiful gesture, the singer bit off the head of one of the birds.
Later, at solo concerts, the rock musician often threw pieces of meat or tripe into the crowd. Once Ozzy decided to do the same with a bat, after biting off her head. The dramatic moment was captured in a photo. But the animal injured the singer, after which Osbourne was hospitalized. According to eyewitnesses, after leaving the clinic, Ozzy burst into dog barking.
Personal life
Osbourne first married Thelma Riley when he was 21 years old. The couple had a daughter, Jessica Starshine, and a son, Louis John. Ozzy also adopted Elliot Kingsley, his wife's son from his first marriage. Ozzy and Thelma were together for 12 years, but due to the problems of the singer with alcohol addiction, the family broke up.
A year later, Ozzy Osbourne got married again, this time with Sharon Arden, who became his manager and managed all the affairs. The couple had three children - Amy and Jack. The couple also adopted Robert Marcato, whose deceased mother was a family friend.
In the spring of 2016, Sharon caught Ozzy cheating, after which she began preparing for the divorce process. It soon became clear that Ozzy Osbourne was sick with sex addiction, about which the singer made a public confession. At the family council, it was decided that Osborne was in a special clinic for this type of addiction. Sharon has postponed the divorce.
From the age of 18, the singer abused alcohol and drugs, by the age of 40 he was officially diagnosed with chronic alcoholism. Ozzy was repeatedly treated, tried to get rid of this addiction, voluntarily attending rehabilitation centers. But he finally gave up the addiction only at the beginning of the 21st century.
Ozzy Osbourne is a big fan of football and has been a fan of the Birmingham football club Aston Villa since childhood.
Ozzy Osbourne now
In early 2017, Ozzy Osbourne admitted in an interview with The Times that he had never suffered from sex addiction. To justify himself to his wife, who caught the singer during the betrayal, Osborne came up with a legend about a mental disorder. Now the couple is visiting a psychotherapist, the relationship between Sharon and Ozzy has gradually improved.
Ozzy continues to surprise the audience. On the eve of the total solar eclipse that was observed in the United States on August 21, 2017, Ozzy Osbourne organized the Moonstock rock music festival in Illinois. At the end of the event, which fell on the eclipse, Osbourne performed the song "Bark at the Moon".
Discography
- 1970 - "Black Sabbath"
- 1970 - "Paranoid"
- 1973 - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
- 1975 - Sabotage
- 1976 - "Technical Ecstasy"
- 1980 - "Blizzard of Ozz"
- 1983 - "Bark at the Moon"
- 1988 - "No Rest for the Wicked"
- 1991 - "No More Tears"
- 1995 - "Ozzmosis"
- 2007 - "Black Rain"
- 2010 - "Scream"
- 2013 - "13"
On this day, December 3, in Birmingham, UK, the great and terrible Ozzy Osbourne was born. The permanent leader of the Black Sabbath group, a loving father and husband, a style icon for Satanists and quite a successful showman. This multifaceted personality is celebrating its 69th birthday today. And half of his life - 34 years - Ozzy, whose real name is John Michael Osbourne, lived with his wife Sharon. Now, they say, this one of the longest marriages among celebrities is bursting at the seams, but this is not a reason on the birthday of such a human being not to appreciate him as a family man.
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1. Sharon and Ozzy with the same hairstyle in 1978.
Sharon met her future husband, Ozzy, at 18 while working for her father, Don Arden, who was the manager of Black Sabbath at the time. When Ozzy was fired from the band in 1979, Sharon began dating him and took his musical career into her own hands. Three years later, on July 4, 1982, Ozzy and Sharon got married in Maui, Hawaii.
2. Ozzy and Sharon on Halloween in 1986.
The couple have three children: Amy (b. 1983), Kelly (b. 1984) and Jack (b. 1985).
3. At home with their kids - daughters Amy and Kelly and son Jack - in 1986.
4. Ah, this family life! 1989
“When we got married, acquaintances made a bet - how many weeks our marriage would last. And we surprised everyone!”
5. A surprisingly common family portrait from the early 90s.
In his autobiography, I Am Ozzy, Osbourne writes candidly about his long struggle with alcoholism. According to the singer, he began to abuse alcohol from about the age of eighteen, and by the age of forty he became a chronic alcoholic who drank three to four bottles of strong alcohol (vodka or cognac) a day. He repeatedly tried to get rid of his addiction, turning to various rehabilitation centers (including the Betty Ford Clinic), was in the society of anonymous alcoholics, but periods of sobriety were replaced by hard drinking. During treatment for alcoholism, he also became addicted to drugs (Vicodin, Valium, etc.). Osborne finally stopped drinking and abusing drugs only in the middle of the 2000s.
6. In the photo - the whole family (not counting Amy). The Osbournes allowed cameramen to place cameras throughout the house, as in 2002 the hit television show The Osbournes began.
On May 19, 2002, MTV in England and Ireland began showing The Osbournes, a documentary television series about Ozzy Osbourne and his family.
In form, this film was a staged and real shooting of the life of the characters of the "Osborne family", filled with everyday troubles and joys. There was a carefully conspiratorial scenario (in the last episode of the last season, you can see how they hold the tablets with the words). The Ozzy family was like the Simpson family. According to Ozzy himself, “one ether destroyed millions of fantasies”, because the “godfather of metal” appeared as a henpecked husband and a bad father, unable to cope with offspring.
7. In the same year, Sharon was diagnosed with a terrible cancer, but she insisted that the shooting of the show continue.
In July 2002, Osbourne was diagnosed with colon cancer. She later admitted that the tumor had spread to the lymph nodes and was more dangerous than originally thought. However, she insisted on continuing filming the show "The Osbournes". She managed to beat the cancer, although she had a survival rate of less than 40%.
8. On The Jay Leno Show in 2002 during a discussion that Sharon had decided to launch her own TV show, The Sharon Osbourne Show.
In 2003, Sharon created her own talk show, The Sharon Osbourne Show, which was broadcast on several US channels, as well as on the British channel Sky One. However, the show's ratings were not successful, and Osbourne was heavily criticized for failing to perform the basic tasks required on a talk show. The show was canceled in early 2004 after one season.
9. By 2003, The Osbournes were garnering the highest ratings on MTV, both in the US and the UK. The last episode of the show aired in the US on March 21, 2005.
In 2005, Sharon Osbourne released an autobiographical book co-authored by Penelope Dening. The book was called "Extreme, or My Autobiography", and it told about Sharon's difficult childhood, her ups, downs and personal life. The book became a worldwide bestseller and sold over 621,000 copies in 15 weeks.
10. Ozzy with his overly serious teenage kids, smiling wife and American Music Award.
The couple almost divorced after Sharon Osbourne found out on the eve of their 30th anniversary of married life that her husband had repeatedly used drugs and alcohol, although he had quit these bad habits about seven years ago. The couple stopped talking and parted, but weeks later they began to live together again with the condition that Ozzy join a group of anonymous alcoholics and undergo therapy. This and other stories of the star couple are presented in Osborne's book Unbreakable.