Rod Stewart’s well-intentioned tribute to Ozzy Osbourne has drawn some mixed reviews online.
During a “One Last Time” tour stop this past week, Stewart performed “Forever Young” while an AI-generated video played in the background.
The footage showed the late Ozzy Osbourne in heaven with a selfie stick, smiling alongside music legends such as Prince, Tina Turner, and Bob Marley.
Stewart’s montage also featured Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, George Michael, and Amy Winehouse — all embracing Osbourne.
An Instagram user who attended the show posted the clip and wrote, “Yes the rumors are true: I went to a Rod Stewart concert last night (lol) and witnessed man made horrors beyond my comprehension. Ozzy Osbourne with a selfie stick in heaven smiling with Tina Turner, Bob Marley, Prince, and… XXXTentacion.”
WARNING: The video below contains language some viewers might find offensive.
“Why can’t dead people just be dead in peace,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “Prince was 100% against this type of technology. He made that very clear while he was alive. This is all very much so in poor taste!”
As Complex noted, Prince was indeed opposed to hologram technology to revive late musicians at shows.
In 1998, he said of holograms, “That’s the most demonic thing imaginable. Everything is as it is, and it should be.
The late pop icon added, “If I was meant to jam with Duke Ellington, we would have lived in the same age.”
Some who saw the Ozzy clip from the Stewart show were more forgiving.
“I think this is great!! I see NO disrespect,” one person wrote. “Only people that have passed on and are enjoying each other again. It’s great to see smiling faces of people that have left us and gone to a better place!!!”
Still, many people felt the montage missed the mark, even if Stewart shared it with the best of intentions.
Stewart had previously mourned Ozzy Osbourne, sharing condolences on Instagram after his death last month.
“Bye, bye Ozzy. Sleep well, my friend,” the music legend wrote on Instagram.
Stewart concluded, “I’ll see you up there — later rather than sooner.”
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
