Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne (John Michael Osbourne) was born on December 3rd, 1948. Ozzy passed away July 22nd, 2025 at 76 years old. Ozzy Osbourne was born in Marston Green, Warwickshire, England.

Ozzy Osbourne is an English heavy metal singer. He was Black Sabbath’s lead singer from 1968 to 1978 and then joined again in 1997 for occasional tours and was replaced by Ronnie James Dio in 1979. In 1980, Osbourne released his debut solo album Blizzard of Ozz. Later, in 2000, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which he revealed to the public in 2020.

Ozzy Osbourne’s wild life has been told and retold almost as often as his greatest hits have been played. With TV shows, interviews, and documentaries already covering much of his story, his autobiography, I Am Ozzy, doesn’t bring many new revelations. But it’s still an entertaining experience.

This book isn’t for those looking for deep insight into Ozzy’s music-making process. And animal lovers might want to stay away within its 391 pages, Ozzy recounts notorious incidents like biting the heads off a dove and a bat, along with other shocking antics, such as destroying his backyard chickens during a drunken rage. In fact, “during a drunken rampage” is the common theme of most of his stories.

Some of the most enjoyable and music-focused parts of the book detail Ozzy’s time with Black Sabbath. Before recording Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, the band stayed at Clearwell Castle in England, where rehearsals quickly turned into a prank war as they tried to convince each other the place was haunted. These moments capture the friendship and mischievous spirit of the band, making them feel more like real people rather than rock legends.

Despite all the chaos, the book does have its serious moments. Ozzy speaks about the tragic death of his guitarist and close friend Randy Rhoads, legal troubles stemming from a fan’s suicide, and encounters with religious extremists from both sides of the spectrum. While he expresses regret over certain events, he doesn’t go too deep into the consequences—likely because he wasn’t the one dealing with them.

A key figure throughout the book is Ozzy’s wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne. Often portrayed as a shrewd businesswoman, I Am Ozzy makes it clear that she worked hard to build her empire. Managing Ozzy meant not only handling his substance-fuelled disasters but also fighting her father, Don Arden, the former manager of Black Sabbath, who tried every trick in the book to reclaim Ozzy as a client. While Sharon has her critics, the book makes a strong case that she deserves at least some sympathy.

After dedicating most of the book to Black Sabbath and Randy Rhoads, Ozzy rushes through the last 25 years of his life. Guitarists Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde, who played with him for decades, get little attention. The final pages focus mostly on his MTV comeback and health struggles.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from I Am Ozzy is the sense that Ozzy’s life was always going to be wild, no matter what. Whether as a rock star, an ex-con, or a slaughterhouse worker (both jobs he held before fame), Ozzy’s larger-than-life personality would have made him unforgettable in any setting.

Ozzy Osbourne: Awards & Accolades

Osbourne's book, Last Rites was nominated for the British Book Awards, Non-Fiction: Narrative Book of the Year, in 2026.

Related Authors

Fans of Ozzy Osbourne also enjoy these authors:

1. James Patterson, author of the Alex Cross Series.
2. Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
3. Andy Weir, author of: Project Hail Mary.
4. Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games Series.
5. Neil Gaiman, author of the American Gods Series.

Ozzy Osbourne: F.A.Q