WWW.PRIDE.COM
Heavy metal icon and gay rights supporter Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76
Legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76.His tragic death comes just weeks after he took to the stage for a final performance with his band in Birmingham, The Sun reports.Not only was Osbourne known as the Prince of Darkness and for famously biting the head off of a bat while on stage (the singer mistook it for a rubber bat), but he has also been a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ community since the 80s.At the height of the AIDS Crisis, after his guitarist made homophobic remarks at a concert, Osbourne responded by donating money to AIDS Long Beach and other gay causes, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time.And in 2010, he released a statement saying he was "disgusted" by the homophobic Westboro Baptist Church using his music during one of their anti-LGBTQ+ protests. I am sickened and disgusted by the use of Crazy Train To promote messages of hate and evil by a church, he continued.Osbournes exact cause of death has yet to be announced, but the heavy metal musician was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019 and has had ongoing health problems in the years since."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, his family said in a statement released today. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.At the Black Sabbath reunion, Osbourne performed alongside his fellow original band members Tony Iommi, Terence Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. Other legendary bands like Metallica, Guns N Roses, and Slayer also performed.Rolling Stones star Ronnie Wood said on social media that hes "so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne, and Metallica shared a broken heart emoji alongside a photo of the band with Osbourne on X.Osbourne rose to fame because of Black Sabbath hits like War Pigs, Iron Man, and Paranoid. During his career in the music industry, he garnered five Grammy wins, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, and achieved success as a solo artist.But younger fans may have gotten to know the heavy metal favorite from this iconic MTV reality show, The Osbournes, which followed Osbourne and his family through their everyday lives. Osbourne is survived by his wife Sharon and his five children.
0 Comments 0 Shares 2 Views 0 Reviews