The day 07/23/2025 will be a sad day to remember, because it’s the day when Ozzy Osbourne passed away. This shocking new caused a massive earthquake on the Metal scene throughout the world, with many people crying. I had cried a little as well, even with people at my work not understanding my pain. It’s obvious that non-Metal people can’t understand such feeling, because on Metal we have a particular feature: if you’re one of us, then you’re of the family. Unlike other genres, Metal isn’t a fashion, and even hearing to new Metal expressions, we honor our roots, and listen things from the past with the same love for the actual ones.

Stated this, it’s easy to understand the pain we all felt: Ozzy was one of the forefathers of Metal along with Tony Iommi, Terry “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward, the first and classic BLACK SABBATH incarnation. They created what we all love, even not understanding what was happening. On the other hand, his solo career was so successful that albums as “Blizzard of Ozz” helped to set the foundations of what USA Heavy Metal would be in the future; and his commercial success made of the Madman (an affectionate nickname gave to him by the fans in the 80s) one of doorways to the entrance of new fans to Metal.

The pain many felt can be explained in an allegoric way: imagine yourself being born in a conservative family, being the one who is always mistreated by you father, mother, brothers and sisters, and that you are bullied at school. Then appears in your life that old and good uncle that taught you all to drink beer, smoke cigarettes (and in some cases, weed) and hear to Rock ‘n’ Roll! Our dear uncle that made of us all Rock ‘n’ Roll rebels, able to defy and support all the pains we had to go through. That uncle is the affective figure we all have of Ozzy.

Ozzy wasn’t a saint, a divinity, or anything in this sense, but a mortal man with many flaws (that he explains on his biography, “I am Ozzy”, and I truly recommend you all to read it). But when things become clear around him, the attachment between us (the fans) and him becomes even stronger, because we all think ‘he is like me’. And these bounds can’t be eroded by death.

Finally, I’d like to share with you all a personal remembrance of mine: on 1984, I wasn’t a full time Metalhead (it happened on 01/11/1985, due IRON MAIDEN show on the first version Rock in Rio), and I was at my older sister’s home, watching to BB Video Roll on TV (it was an old show on Brazilian TV on the middle of the 80s) on a saturday night before going to have fun on a club, and then appeared the official video for “Bark at the Moon”. On those days, I didn’t like it, because I was into other musical genres, but it impressed me. It was the first time I heard/saw to something of Ozzy, and he became familiar to me on 1985 (I bought many magazines, and it was usual articles about him, and I even bought a magazine/poster with full history of BLACK SABBATH). I can say that Ozzy wasn’t the cause of turning me into a Metalhead, but was one of the first references I had.

As I wrote above, these bonds between Metal fans with bands and musicians can’t be destroyed when they pass away, but become stronger. Yes, because every time you hear to Ozzy’s music, being on BLACK SABBATH (that’s being rediscovered by the entire world now) or in solo career, the Madman will be alive. I present my condolences to Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee, Louis and all Osbourne family for his passing; and I share with all his fans the same feeling. But let’s drink a beer for his memory and celebrate Ozzy’s life and career.

We all love you, Ozzy, and will keep loving you…

Thank you and rest in peace…

“I’ve been the king, I’ve been the clown
Now broken wings can’t hold me down
I’m free again…” (“Goodbye to Romance”)