SAD TIMES: Black Sabbath Founder Tony Iommi C…read more.
Following the heartbreaking news of Ozzy Osbourne’s death at age 76, tributes have flooded in from fans and fellow musicians alike. But one of the most touching came from someone who knew Ozzy better than most Tony Iommi, co-founder and guitarist of Black Sabbath.
“It’s hard to put into words how much this hurts,” Iommi said. “We shared a lifetime together. I didn’t just lose a colleague — I lost a dear friend, a brother.”
A Journey That Changed Music Forever
Tony Iommi first crossed paths with Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham in the late 1960s. Together with Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, they formed Black Sabbath a band that would come to define heavy metal for generations.
“Back then, we were just a group of lads trying to find our way,” Iommi recalled. “We didn’t know what the future held. We just knew we had something special.”
Their musical chemistry was undeniable. Ozzy’s raw, haunting vocals paired with Iommi’s thunderous guitar riffs gave birth to a sound the world had never heard before.
“Ozzy had this voice — it cut right through you,” Iommi said. “He brought something to the band no one else could.”
A Bittersweet Final Performance
Just weeks before Ozzy passed, Black Sabbath reunited one last time for the Back to the Beginning farewell concert in their hometown of Birmingham. Despite his declining health, Ozzy made it on stage — a powerful gesture that left everyone in awe.
“He gave it everything he had,” said Iommi. “I could tell it took everything out of him but he wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
That night would mark the last time Iommi and Osbourne stood side by side on stage — a farewell years in the making.
“It felt like closing a book we started together 50 years ago,” Iommi shared. “Only now do I realize how final it really was.”
Remembering the Real Ozzy
To many, Ozzy Osbourne was the Prince of Darkness — wild, unpredictable, and iconic. But Tony Iommi described a gentler side to his friend.
“He was a showman, yes — but he was also incredibly kind and thoughtful,” Iommi said. “He’d call me out of the blue just to see how I was doing.”
He spoke of Ozzy’s loyalty, his sense of humor, and the bond that never wavered, even during the most difficult moments in their careers.
“We had our fallouts, like any old friends,” he admitted. “But we always found our way back to each other. There was too much history too much love to stay apart for long.”
A Voice That Will Never Die
Tony Iommi believes Ozzy’s legacy will live far beyond his years on Earth not just in records and concert footage, but in the hearts of everyone he touched.
“Ozzy helped build something that’s become eternal,” Iommi said. “The music we made it’s not going anywhere.”
He acknowledged that no one could ever replace the unique energy and presence Ozzy brought to the world.
“There’s only one Ozzy,” he said. “And there always will be.”
Farewell, Old Friend
As the world continues to process the loss of one of rock’s greatest icons, Iommi offered a final, deeply personal goodbye to the man he stood beside for over five decades.
“Thank you, Ozzy, for everything for your voice, your spirit, your friendship. You gave the world so much. And you gave me more than I can ever say.
Rest in peace, my brother. I’ll carry your memory with me every time I pick up a guitar.”
Though Ozzy is gone, the bond between him and Tony Iommi remains unbreakable carved into every riff, every lyric, and every fan whose life was changed by their music. Their story may have ended, but their sound will echo on forever.
