Geezer Butler's Emotional Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne: A Born Entertainer's Final Days

A Lasting Friendship and a Legacy of Laughter

Ozzy Osbourne, widely known as the "Prince of Darkness" among hard rock fans, was remembered by his Black Sabbath bandmate Terence "Geezer" Butler as the "Prince of Laughter." In an emotional essay published in The Times, Butler reflected on their decades-long friendship, sharing stories about the formation of Black Sabbath and their final days together.

On July 5, the band reunited for the first time in two decades, joining guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward for a performance that drew 40,000 fans at Aston’s Villa Park, the very place where Black Sabbath was born in 1968. The event, titled "Back to the Beginning," was a star-studded livestreamed affair led by Jason Momoa, a self-proclaimed Black Sabbath fan. It featured recorded tributes from famous fans such as Dolly Parton and Elton John. All proceeds from the concert, which totaled nearly $200 million, were donated to Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Acorns Children's Hospice, in recognition of Osbourne’s Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 2019.

Butler described the band sessions leading up to the farewell concert as deeply emotional. “I knew he wasn’t in good health, but I wasn’t prepared to see how frail he was,” he said. “He was helped into the rehearsal room by two helpers and a nurse and was using a cane—being Ozzy, the cane was black and studded with gold and precious stones. He didn’t really say much beyond the usual greetings, and when he sang, he sat in a chair. We ran through the songs, but we could see it was exhausting him after six or seven songs. We had a bit of a chat, but he was really quiet compared with the Ozzy of old. After a couple more weeks, we were ready for the show.”

For Butler, Osbourne was never the "Prince of Darkness." Instead, he saw him as the "Prince of Laughter." “He’d do anything for a laugh, a born entertainer,” he recalled. “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.”

Butler also shared memories of the early days of Black Sabbath, before the band became a defining force in heavy metal. “Our first gig ended up in a massive brawl. Being from Aston, you had to know how to defend yourself, and certainly Ozzy and Tony in particular were no strangers to fighting. We became inseparable brothers in arms, always looking out for each other. People always thought Ozzy was a feral wild man, but he had a heart of pure gold.”

He added, “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.”

In his conclusion, Butler expressed gratitude for the chance to perform one last time with Osbourne. “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.”

Osbourne passed away at the age of 76 on July 22, just over two and a half weeks after the charity concert. His death sent shockwaves through the rock world and was mourned by fellow musicians and industry peers, including John, Metallica, Pearl Jam, Billy Idol, and many others.