Ozzy Osbourne shared his thoughts on how he wished to be remembered and what he wanted his legacy to entail before his death.
The iconic frontman of Black Sabbath passed away at the age of 76 on a Tuesday morning, with his family confirming in a heartfelt statement that he died “surrounded by love.”
The ‘Prince of Darkness’ was the driving force behind the formation of the heavy metal band in 1968, which played a pivotal role in shaping the genre and inspiring future bands, leaving behind an indelible cultural impact.
In recent years, Ozzy had been courageously battling Parkinson’s disease since 2019 as well as spinal cord injuries. Nevertheless, he managed to give a final farewell to his devoted fans at the ‘Back to the Beginning’ benefit concert in his hometown, Birmingham, UK, on July 5.
This marked the first occasion in 20 years that the ‘Prince of Darkness’ performed alongside his original bandmates. Due to ongoing health challenges, he performed seated on a throne.
Fans realized it was likely his final live performance, but his passing just over two weeks later still came as a shock.
As the world mourns the loss of this rock legend, an interview from 2022 has resurfaced where Ozzy discussed how he wished to be remembered.
In a conversation with PEOPLE, he stated: “Survival is my legacy.”
The five-time Grammy award recipient went on to say: “I mean, I’m 73. People go, ‘Well, you’re 70… why don’t I throw the towel in?’ Why should I? People still want to buy my records. People still want to see me, so why should I? It motivates me to get off my backside and do something. I mean, if my career had gone down the toilet and I knew it was the end, I’d be pretty miserable.”
When it came to offering advice to others, he urged people to “never give up” on their aspirations.
“If you’ve got a passion for something, you’ve got to find a way around it to carry on the passion,” he emphasized.
In 2018, he told The Guardian that simply being remembered would be a significant achievement for him.
“I’d like to be remembered for the work I did with Black Sabbath. I’m so proud of the music. But to be honest, just being remembered would be an achievement to me.
“I come from Aston in Birmingham, y’know? I used to play on bombsites… There’s a guy living in the house I grew up in, and they charge people £200 to sleep in the bedroom I had as a kid.”
Announcing his passing, Ozzy’s family, including his wife, Sharon Osbourne, shared: “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. We ask everyone to respect our family’s privacy at this time.”
Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, who collaborated on organizing Ozzy’s final performance, disclosed that the ‘Back to the Beginning’ benefit concert successfully raised over $190 million for Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
At the conclusion of the monumental concert, Ozzy expressed his gratitude, telling the audience, “You’ve no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
He is survived by his wife Sharon, their children Aimee, Kelly, and Jack, along with Jessica and Louis from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, and his grandchildren.