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Ozzy Osbourne was overcome by his fans' affection. Wife Sharon Osbourne paused to consider her husband's legacy and his farewell concert, "Back to the Beginning," on July 5 at Birmingham, England's Villa Park, just before the Black Sabbath frontman passed away from a heart attack on July 22 at the age of 76. She revealed that Ozzy had a very emotional reaction after he took the stage.
In an August 5 interview, Sharon told Pollstar, "He turned around and he said to me that night, he said, 'I had no idea that so many people liked me.'" The interview was conducted on July 17. "Ozzy has always been a recluse."
The crowd's response, however, did not surprise Sharon, who went on to say, "Oh my God, the metal fans are the most loyal fans in the world! You have them for life if they are a fan. They remain stationary.
The 72-year-old, who has three children with Ozzy: Aimee Osbourne, 41; Kelly Osbourne, 40; and Jack Osbourne, 39, was ecstatic about the event's reception among both the millions of people who watched it online and those who attended in person.
According to Sharon, "it was a huge success because it was a phenomenal event." "I believe it was the first time someone had retired and done it, where the show is streamed and the proceeds are donated to charity." Since it's the first time someone has said goodnight in that manner, it's the ideal way to wrap up a lengthy career.
As Sharon—who also served as Ozzy’s manager for much of his career—explained, “I never wanted Ozzy to just disappear without some big event. And it’s the best way then to go home to where it all started, to go to his favorite stadium in the world (Villa Park), which is [home to] his beloved Aston Villa (soccer) team, and it was just perfect.”
Metal icons like Metallica, Mastodon, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, and Guns N' Roses performed at Sharon and Ozzy's Ozzfest music festival to pay tribute to the Prince of Darkness and Black Sabbath. Sharon and her family shared their own tributes to Ozzy, with Jack reflecting on the difficult loss and his heart hurting. His sister Kelly echoed the sentiment, holding onto the love, light, and legacy left behind.
