BREAKING: Black Sabbath Drummer Bill Ward Pa…read more.
The heavy metal world has gone quiet. Ozzy Osbourne, the groundbreaking voice of Black Sabbath and one of the most unforgettable figures in rock history, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, July 22, 2025, at the age of 76.
For Bill Ward, the drummer and one of the co-founders of Black Sabbath, the loss is deeply personal. More than just a bandmate, Ozzy was his brother — someone he journeyed through life with from the streets of Aston to sold-out stadiums around the world.
“Where do I begin?” Ward wrote in a heartbreaking message. “Ozzy was a part of me. A part of all of us. I’m struggling to understand this, even now. It wasn’t just the end of a friendship. It feels like a piece of me is gone. Rest easy, my brother. You’ll always be in my heart.”
A Final Homecoming in Birmingham
Ozzy’s passing came just over two weeks after what would turn out to be his final performance — a historic Black Sabbath reunion on July 5 at Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham.
That evening, the original lineup — Ozzy, Bill Ward, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler — shared the stage one last time for “Back to the Beginning”, a 10-hour benefit concert that sold out within minutes.
Ozzy, though visibly weak and performing from a throne due to his health, was full of spirit. Between songs, he addressed the crowd with deep emotion: “Thank you, Birmingham. Thank you for everything.”
That night, they raised over £140 million for charities close to Ozzy’s heart, including Parkinson’s research, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice. Looking back, it feels like a send-off — a gift to fans and to each other.
Quiet Farewell from Family
The Osbourne family released a brief but heartfelt statement confirming Ozzy’s death:
“With deep sadness, we announce that Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve the loss of our beloved.”
Ozzy had publicly battled health challenges for years, including Parkinson’s disease, injuries from a 2003 ATV accident, and complications from surgeries. But despite all of it, he stayed connected to his music — and to his fans.
From Aston to the World Stage
Born John Michael Osbourne in 1948, Ozzy came from humble beginnings in Aston, Birmingham. In the late 1960s, he formed Black Sabbath alongside Ward, Iommi, and Butler — four local boys with a new, darker vision of rock music.
With albums like Black Sabbath, Paranoid, and Master of Reality, the band didn’t just make music — they started a movement. And Ozzy, with his eerie yet soulful voice, became the haunting sound of a genre that hadn’t existed before.
After leaving Sabbath in 1979, Ozzy launched a solo career that would take him even further into rock immortality. With hits like “Crazy Train”, “Mr. Crowley”, and “No More Tears”, he stayed relevant for decades, even as trends shifted.
In the early 2000s, he became a pop culture figure through The Osbournes, the wildly popular reality show that pulled back the curtain on his chaotic but lovable family life. It showed fans the man behind the “Prince of Darkness” — flawed, funny, and fiercely loyal.
Ward: “We Were More Than a Band”
In his statement, Bill Ward emphasized that Sabbath wasn’t just about music.
“We were a family. We fought, we laughed, we made mistakes. But we did it together. I can still hear Ozzy’s voice in the studio, joking between takes. I can still feel the pulse of ‘War Pigs’ under my hands. This isn’t just losing a friend — it’s losing a part of your life.”
Ward also shared that he and Ozzy had recently reconnected before the Villa Park concert and had even spoken about future ideas — not necessarily for new music, but simply about life, and what came next after the stage lights dimmed.
An Outpouring of Love
The tributes to Ozzy have poured in worldwide. Geezer Butler posted, “Four kids from Aston made history. I’ll miss you, mate.” Tony Iommi called Ozzy “irreplaceable,” and musicians from across generations from Metallica and Elton John to Alice Cooper and Pearl Jam honored his legacy.
Zakk Wylde, Ozzy’s longtime guitarist, called him “family” and “a warrior who never stopped loving his fans.”
Ozzy’s Voice Lives On
A concert film, Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow, is already in production and is expected to release in early 2026. It will capture what fans now know was his farewell — a final salute from a man who gave everything to his art.
For Bill Ward and the rest of the band, the memories will remain vivid. The laughter, the chaos, the backstage rituals — and, above all, the sound of Ozzy’s voice cutting through the noise.
“He’s not gone,” Ward wrote. “Not really. You’ll hear him in the thunder. In the silence before the first drumbeat. In every kid who dares to pick up a mic and scream their truth.”
Rest in power, Ozzy Osbourne. Your music shook the world. And your spirit will echo forever.
