Alice Cooper dedicated his Cardiff show to ‘legend’ Ozzy Osbourne as shared an emotional tribute to one of rock n roll’s ‘giants’.
The Black Sabbath musician passed away ‘surrounded by love’ on Tuesday morning at the age of 76, a statement from his family confirmed tonight.
Fellow rocker Vincent Damon Furnier, known by his stage name Alice Cooper, dedicated his show to Ozzy as he took to the stage with his band in Wales on Tuesday.
‘Well, we all know that time is going to take us rockers, but when the giants fall, it’s really hard to accept,’ he said on stage.
‘Even though everybody saw it coming with Ozzy, it just took our breath away when it happened.
‘So Ozzy and family – your records and your music and your legend and all that you brought – the humour to the rock business – will live on forever and we’re gonna miss you man.’
Alice Cooper dedicated his Cardiff show to ‘legend’ Ozzy Osbourne as shared an emotional tribute to one of rock n roll’s ‘giants’ (Alice seen with Sharon and Ozzy in 2007)
Fellow rocker Vincent Damon Furnier, known by his stage name Alice Cooper, dedicated his show to Ozzy as he took to the stage with his band in Wales on Tuesday
Elsewhere Alice and his band said: ‘The whole world is mourning Ozzy tonight. Over his long career, he earned immense respect among his peers and from fans around the world as an unmatched showman and cultural icon.
‘I always saw Ozzy as a cross between the prince of darkness, which is the persona his fans saw, and the court jester. That was the side that his family and friends saw.
‘He was and will continue to be a rock n roll legend. Rock n Roll is a family and a fraternity. When we lose one of our own it bleeds. I wish I would have gotten to know my brother Ozzy better.
‘Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and the rest of the Ozzy brood – our prayers are with you tonight. A titanic boulder has crashed, but rock will roll on.’
Alice signed off an Instagram post with: ‘Rest easy Ozzy and we’ll see you on the other side! – Alice, Sheryl, Chuck, Ryan, Tommy, Nita, Glen and our entire crew.’
Elsewhere Chris Martin also dedicated Coldplay’s show at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, on Tuesday to Ozzy.
He said: ‘We’d like to dedicate this whole show to the incredible genius, talent, and character-full gift to the world who was Ozzy Osbourne. We send our love to his family.’
Chris then sang a stripped down version of Black Sabbath’s 1972 hit Changes, before saying: ‘Ozzy, we love you, wherever you’re going.’
‘Well, we all know that time is going to take us rockers, but when the giants fall, it’s really hard to accept,’ he said on stage
Alice signed off an Instagram post with: ‘Rest easy Ozzy and we’ll see you on the other side! – Alice, Sheryl, Chuck, Ryan, Tommy, Nita, Glen and our entire crew’ (Alice and Ozzy seen in 2007)
Elsewhere Chris Martin also dedicated Coldplay’s show at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, on Tuesday to Ozzy (Pictured)
On Wednesday morning, keyboardist Rick Wakeman appeared on Radio 4 talking about his friendship with Ozzy, and admitted he didn’t think The Osbournes star would have survived as long with Sharon.
Talking about the rocker, he said: ‘Ozzy hadn’t been well. I met Sharon and Ozzy together when they got together in 1980, I went to a concert in upstate New York, one of Ozzy’s very first solo shows. And that was when he was there with Sharon, who is lovely. At that time, everybody just thought Sharon was sort of acting on behalf of her father as the management.
‘But Ozzy said to me, he said, “Things are going to change. Sharon and I are an item and will be forever. And she’s going to take over my management.” I remember saying to him, “Does her dad know? Because he’s got quite a strong reputation”, and he went “Not yet”. I went right, “I don’t want to be around when he does.”
‘He was very generous to Sharon and actually they fell out a lot- but Sharon was, I don’t think Ozzy was… this might sound a bit awful, but I don’t think Ozzy would have survived as long as he did had it not been for Sharon. Sharon in many ways saved Ozzy’s life. For that she should be incredibly proud.
‘Ozzy was cleverer than people think. When I did the Osmosis album with him in New York, I realised there was so much more to him musically than just being the front man in a heavy metal band. He knew what he wanted, he was very clever and he was also clever enough as far as the media were concerned to become a caricature of himself.’
The Osbourne family announced Ozzy’s death in a statement which read: ‘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 privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.’
Tributes flooded in last night, with musical legend Sir Elton saying Ozzy was a ‘huge trailblazer’ who ‘secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods’.
On Wednesday morning, keyboardist Rick Wakeman (seen in 2018) appeared on Radio 4 talking about his friendship with Ozzy
He posted on Instagram: ‘So sad to hear the news of Ozzy Osbourne passing away. He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend.
‘He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx.’
After sharing the stage at Villa Park in Birmingham, Ronnie Wood said he is ‘very sad’ to learn of Ozzy’s death.
The Rolling Stone posted on X: ‘I am so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne. What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham.’
Ozzy’s Black Sabbath bandmates declared ‘Ozzy forever!’ in a powerful tribute to the icon on X.
American actor Jason Momoa, 45, who joined the the Black Sabbath frontman on stage at Villa Park in Birmingham less than three weeks ago, also paid tribute.
Sharing an emotional message to his ‘family’, Jason shared a photo on Instagram with Sharon and Ozzy back stage at the concert.
He wrote: ‘Love you @ozzyosbourne All my aloha @sharonosbourne and ohana. So grateful. RIP’.
The world of music honoured Ozzy, with icon Sir Elton John leading the stars paying emotional tribute to The Prince of Darkness (pictured together in 2007)
Sir Rod Stewart joined the world in mourning the rocker as he paid tribute to his ‘friend’ Ozzy (pictured together in 2002)
The rocker was able to bid an emotional farewell to his fans on stage this month as he reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the first time since 2005.
‘You’ve no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart,’ Osbourne told the crowd in his final speech.
With 42,000 fans packed into Birmingham’s Villa Park, heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath returned to the stage for Ozzy’s farewell show – the band’s first live performance since 2005.
They were joined onstage by a host of celebrity friends, among them Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler.
