John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne was played onstage by fellow rock legends Metallica and Guns N’ Roses to a crowd of forty five thousand on July 5th in Birmingham England. Seventeen days later “The Prince of Darkness” died from cardiac arrest at the age of 76, leaving his family and millions of fans worldwide in mourning. Three months later, fans are still in the midst of navigating a musical landscape without the godfather of metal.
“I grew up thinking Ozzy was so cool,” senior Elizabeth Piquette said.
Piquette, a lifelong metal fan, credits her father for introducing her to the music and helping to branch out her music taste as a young girl.
“My dad is a big fan, of course,” Piquette said. “We enjoy how they can do variety, not just hard core but chill as well.”
Black Sabbath released their self-titled first album in 1970. Their biggest commercial years came in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s with the release of “Heaven and Hell” and “Paranoid.” They were a main staple for many of Gen Z’s parents.
“My dad loves the music,” senior Viktor Cruz said. “I think it’s awesome how popular they are after all these years. I wish I could have seen them live before Ozzy’s death.”
On July 22, the Osbourne estate released a statement announcing the passing of Ozzy thanking the fans for their support and requesting privacy during this difficult time.
“I started listening before I could even remember,” senior Aaron Kellar said. “I wasn’t surprised but it definitely hurt when he passed. He’s been a part of my life forever. He influenced me to start playing the guitar that shaped me into who I am.”
Black Sabbath and Ozzy have not only influenced students musically, but artistically as well in the case of junior art student Chris Young
“The aesthetics and the feel of the band has influenced my art for sure,” Young said. “What I draw and what I try to emulate, metal has definitely had a huge impact on my passions.”
The life and work of Ozzy Osbourne has reached all over the world and will continue to touch others long after he is gone.
“They gave a new meaning to rock,” Young said. “They created the way I view the genre today, changed the game for that heavier style and pioneered for other great artists of the future.”
