Ozzy Osbourne’s bandmate and friend Geezer Butler has recently shared a lengthy tribute for the late, great metal singer.
Last week, a representative for the Osbourne family announced that the Prince of Darkness had died at the age of 76.
Following the news, each of the Black Sabbath members wrote statements to remember their legendary late friend. At the time, Geezer wrote in an Instagram post: "Goodbye dear friend - thanks for all those years - we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston - who’d have thought, eh? So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.”
Now, Geezer has written an essay for Ozzy in The Times U.K., where he talked more about the Back to the Beginning gig, and reflected on their friendship over the last 57 years.
"I’ve not been able to talk about this yet, but put a few words down to share my feelings," he said in an Instagram post, about the write-up.
"To me, Ozzy wasn’t the Prince of Darkness - if anything he was the Prince of Laughter. He’d do anything for a laugh, a born entertainer," Geezer wrote at one point during the essay.
“I first became aware of him when I’d walk home from all-nighters at a rock club called the Penthouse, in Birmingham. I had long hair down past my shoulders and looked like a hippy.
“Ozzy would be on the other side of the road on his way from the soul all-nighters in Brum, with his cropped hair and mod suit. Complete opposites of each other.
“Little did I know then that within a year we would form what would become Black Sabbath and create a whole new form of rock music.”
Geezer also recalled the early days of Black Sabbath, explaining that their first gig ended in a brawl, but the bandmates were “always looking out for each other.”
“We became inseparable brothers in arms,” he wrote.
“People always thought Ozzy was a feral wild man, but he had a heart of pure gold,” Geezer continued.
“Most of his infamous antics — the bat saga, biting the head off a dove, pissing on the Alamo, snorting lines of ants, and the rest — came in his solo years, away from the restraints of the Sabbath crew.
“But if you were a friend in need, Ozzy was always there for you. When my son was born with a heart defect, Ozzy called me every day to see how I was coping, even though we hadn’t spoken for a year.”
Geezer penned a bunch of memories with Ozzy over the years, from the early days when Ozzy first became the singer of Black Sabbath, all the way to their recent gig at Villa Park.
Concluding his write-up, Geezer wrote, “Nobody knew he’d be gone from us little more than two weeks after the final show. But I am so grateful we got to play one last time together in front of his beloved fans.
“The love from the fans and all the bands, musicians, singers and solo artists that night was incredible. Everyone had come to pay homage to the Prince. I am so privileged to have spent most of my life with him.
“Of course there are millions of things I will think of that I should have written, but how can I sum up 57 incredible years of friendship in a few paragraphs?
“God bless, Oz, it has been one hell of a ride! Love you!”
It sure has been one hell of a ride. It’s been one week since the news of Ozzy’s passing, but tributes continue to pour in.
Rest in peace, Prince of Darkness.
