When people think of a great front man from a band, some may think of Jim Morrison from The Doors, Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin, or even Chris Cornell from Soundgarden, but who is the number one? Without a doubt, it is Ozzy Osbourne.
Ozzy Osbourne is one of music history's all-time best. A young man from Birmingham, England, took the world by storm when he joined his peers Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward to form the legendary metal band Black Sabbath in 1968.
Their first albums, Black Sabbath (1970) and Paranoid (1970), shaped rock music forever as both albums introduce chilling lyrics with thunderous guitar riffs. This was something rock music had never seen before, let alone Ozzy Osbourne's untouchable stage persona; they were bound to make history.
A fond farewell to Ozzy Osbourne
Black Sabbath (1970) was ground-breaking, truly, as each track is mysterious yet enchanting to the listener. I can recall first hearing this album and thinking, How can anyone say this is not metal? I was addicted to not just the insane guitar work done by Tony Iommi, but Ozzy Osbourne's voice, which validates his nickname as "The Prince of Darkness."
If any nickname is true to form, it is the Prince of Darkness, as it can be heard loud and clear in tracks such as "Black Sabbath" or "The Wizard" that are both eerie in not just the lyrics, but the vocal delivery provided by Osbourne, which shows how dark and metal this band truly is.
That image of being metal only continued to get stronger once Paranoid (1970) followed. The first track, "War Pigs," offers not just war pigs, but witches at black masses. Then leading to the two iconic tracks "Paranoid" and "Iron Man", and a personal favorite, "Planet Caravan." This album is not just what made Black Sabbath, but what made the Ozzy Osbourne we all know.
The BBC wrote, "Ozzy solidified the image of Black Sabbath as being a dark and mysterious band." Essentially, Ozzy only appreciated his persona even more, which also led to the social image of what a metal band looks and sounds like due to the legend himself.
Osbourne's contributions to Black Sabbath cannot and will not go unknown. Despite him venturing off into solo work, Black Sabbath was the start of the Prince of Darkness. His vocals shine in every song he has ever put out, and even when they're more isolated in songs such as "Changes" off of Vol. 4 (1972), his voice was genuinely powerful and one of a kind.
His voice was so distinctive, melancholic, and "dark." While appreciating the sound of Black Sabbath, you appreciate the sound of Ozzy Osbourne. Without his influence, could there be heavy metal like there is today?
Not many groups can say they're the reason an entire genre of music exists, but alas, Black Sabbath is, of course, the pioneers of heavy metal, and Ozzy Osbourne is the definition of it.
As the music world grieves a legend, there is much to be thankful for. Ozzy Osbourne is the epitome of going off the rails on a "Crazy Train." There aren't many like Ozzy, and that's just too bad for us.
Due to Osbourne, he only has inspired me and plenty of other people to only be their true and authentic self and for him we can only be grateful. His music only stood out whether it was solo work or alongside Black Sabbath.
To the Prince of Darkness, thank you for your irreplaceable image and talent that will only continue to inspire bands and generations to follow. In the meantime, I will cherish any of my Black Sabbath vinyl records and think about how much the band and Ozzy himself changed my life and others forever.