Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne has died aged 76.
The singer of the British heavy metal band died surrounded by loved ones on Tuesday.
In a statement which also asked for privacy, his family said: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
He is survived by his wife Sharon and their five kids.
Almost three weeks ago, Osbourne took to the stage for a final concert with Black Sabbath to raise money for Cure Parkinson’s, an incurable disease that mainly causes issues with movement, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
The band raised about US$190 million, according to reports.
Some 40,000 fans attended the show in the British city of Birmingham, while millions of others streamed the concert from across the world.
It was the first time the group performed in 20 years.
“It’s so good to be on this f**king stage, you have no idea. Let the madness begin,” Osbourne, who struggles to walk and has suffered other health issues, said at the show.
Black Sabbath formed in the 1970s and had a decorated career through the decades which has seen them produce 19 studio albums and sell more than 100 million records.
Tributes have poured in from across the world.
Fellow heavy metal band Metallica shared a throwback photo with a heart break emoji.
Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood was also stunned by the news.
“I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham,” he wrote to X.
Elton John expressed his sadness at the news of the death of his “dear” friend.
“He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend,” the British singer said on Instagram.
“He was one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”
Osbourne, also known as the Prince of Darkness kicked off his career blaring out Black Sabbath’s hits, from “Paranoid” to “War Pigs” to “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”.
The hard riffs and dark subject matter – from depression to apocalypse – combined with an instinct for Halloween theatrics. As a performer, Osbourne sprinkled audiences with raw meat and, in 1982, had his encounter with a bat thrown on stage by a fan.
He always insisted he thought it was a toy until he bit into it, but was mistaken and rushed to get a rabies shot. He later sold branded bat soft toys with a removable head.
Osbourne was a regular target for conservative and religious groups concerned about the negative impact of rock music on young people.
He acknowledged the excesses of his lifestyle and lyrics – but poured scorn on the wilder reports that he was an actual devil-worshipper.
“I’ve done some bad things in my time,” he said in a 2010 biography.
“But I ain’t the devil. I’m just John Osbourne: a working class kid from Aston who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time.”
In 2002, Osbourne won legions of new fans as he starred in US reality TV show “The Osbournes”.
Cameras followed the aging rock god ambling round his huge house, pronouncing on events in his heavy Birmingham accent and looking on bemused at his family’s antics.
-with Reuters