BREAKING: Black Sabbath Bassist ‘Geezer Butler’ S…See more
“Just Four Kids from Aston”: Black Sabbath Remembers Ozzy Osbourne After His Death
The world has lost a rock legend, but for Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, the loss of Ozzy Osbourne hits deeper — it’s not just the end of an era. It’s the loss of a brother.
Ozzy, the wild and unmistakable voice of Black Sabbath, passed away peacefully at the age of 76 after years of declining health. While tributes have poured in from across the globe, it’s his original bandmates — the ones who stood beside him as teenagers in a working-class Birmingham neighborhood — who feel the loss most personally.
“We were just four kids from Aston,” guitarist Tony Iommi said quietly. “None of us had much, but we had music — and Ozzy had something. He was unpredictable, yes, but he was also full of warmth and soul. He made you laugh, he made you crazy, but above all, he made the band.”
Terence “Geezer” Butler, the band’s bassist and lyricist, remembered the early days of long rehearsals, cheap equipment, and dreams bigger than their circumstances. “Ozzy wasn’t just the singer,” Butler said. “He was the spark. He’d walk into a room and you felt it. We lived a lifetime together — the fights, the tours, the albums — but beneath all that, there was real love.”
Drummer Bill Ward, emotional in his statement, reflected on their deep connection. “Ozzy had demons, just like the rest of us, but there was something innocent in him too. We created something powerful together. That bond can’t be broken, not even by death.”
The band that started in a small corner of Birmingham went on to define heavy metal. But for Iommi, Butler, and Ward, their story has always been more personal.
“At the end of the day,” Iommi said, “we were just four lads chasing a sound. And Ozzy — he was the voice of it all. We’ll miss him more than words can say.”
