Ozzy Osbourne: Screaming So We Didn’t Have To

Remembering Ozzy Osbourne (1948–2025)

"A voice. A banshee, crying for mercy. Crying to be put out of his misery."
— from the introduction of Black Sabbath – An Oral History

"A voice. A banshee, crying for mercy. Crying to be put out of his misery". - from the introduction of "Black Sabbath - An Oral History"

I can't tell you how many times I've been told over the years that Black Sabbath, with Ozzy, "saved my life". Knowing the antics of Ozzy over the years following his time with Sabbath, his escapades on reality TV and the humor he brought to everyone - many times at the expense of himself, it's hard to conceive that he was able to even save himself.

But those early recordings in the hands of a kid (or an adult) in angst, were the release valve that likely did save the lives of many. Maybe your life was perfect, but for that kid with little future to look forward to, whose been mistreated, abused and marginalized by others, that music was as important as it gets to ease the pain and release some of the anger. Let's also remember that he and the other members of Sabbath invented a musical genre. From that foundation, the MANY metal artists out there today are continuing to help heal the angst - and save lives.

Mike

Photo: Ozzy Osbourne at Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ, Feb 20, 2010. Photo by darkbladeus / Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.