Geezer Butler, the legendary bassist and lyricist behind Black Sabbath’s darkest anthems, has penned a deeply personal tribute to Ozzy Osbourne following the iconic frontman’s passing last week at 76. Writing for The London Times, Butler revealed intimate details about their bond—what he calls an “invisible link”—and shared poignant memories of their final performance together on July 5.
Ozzy Osbourne: The Prince of Laughter
Strip away the theatrical madness and stage pyrotechnics, and you’d find something unexpected about the so-called “Prince of Darkness”—he was actually the guy who could crack up a room. “He’d do anything for a laugh,” Butler wrote, painting a picture far removed from the wild-eyed showman millions knew. Their story began in the late ’60s when two Birmingham lads stumbled into creating one of rock’s most seismic forces.
That natural charisma Butler describes? It wasn’t an act. Osbourne possessed an entertainer’s instincts that went deeper than any stage persona.
Reflecting on Their Final Show
The rehearsals before their last gig told a different story than the decades of explosive performances. Butler watched as Ozzy struggled through preparations, supported by two helpers and a nurse, leaning on a cane that sparkled with gold and precious stones. Even then, frail and unusually quiet, Osbourne poured everything into those final rehearsals.
“I knew he wasn’t in good health, but I wasn’t prepared to see how frail he was,” Butler admitted. Watching his old friend mostly seated while singing during practice sessions was a stark reminder of time’s relentless march. The contrast with the energetic performer of their youth was impossible to ignore.
First Meeting and Early Days of Black Sabbath
Their first encounter reads like something from a rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale—if fairy tales involved chimney sweeps showing up barefoot at your door. Birmingham, 1968: Butler’s original band needed a vocalist, and fate delivered one in the most unlikely package. Ozzy appeared at Butler’s home, disheveled and carrying a chimney brush, looking nothing like star material.
“He said, ‘I’m Ozzy.’ After I’d stopped laughing, I said: ‘OK, you’re in the band,'” Butler remembered with obvious fondness.
What followed was rock history. Earth became Black Sabbath when they joined forces with Tony Iommi and Bill Ward. Their debut gig? A complete disaster that ended in a massive brawl—which somehow cemented their brotherhood rather than destroying it.
Beyond the Wildman Myth
The dove-biting incidents, the outrageous solo career antics—Butler wants people to know that wasn’t the real Ozzy, at least not within Sabbath’s original dynamic. Those legendary moments of madness happened mostly when the band’s grounding influence wasn’t around. Strip away the spectacle, Butler insists, and “Ozzy had a heart of pure gold“—always the first to check on friends during tough times.
Case in point: when Butler’s son was born with a heart defect, Osbourne called every single day. This happened during one of their many periods of radio silence, proving their connection transcended whatever professional tensions might arise.
A Last Reunion and Lingering Regrets
Their July reunion came through an Aston Villa jersey promotion with Adidas—random enough to feel like destiny’s final joke. Years of silence melted away instantly, that invisible link Butler mentioned still intact after all the water under the bridge.
But that final night haunts Butler. Ozzy remained seated “on his throne” throughout, unable to stand for the curtain call that should have been triumphant. “Tony shook his hand, I presented him with a cake… but it was such a strange feeling to end our story like that,” Butler reflected, the weight of finality heavy in his words.
Gratitude for a Lifelong Friendship
Fifty-seven years. That’s how long Butler and Osbourne’s friendship lasted—longer than most marriages, deeper than most family bonds. Butler’s final words to his old friend capture everything: “God bless, Oz, it has been one hell of a ride! Love you!“
It’s a tribute that honors not just a musical partnership that changed rock forever, but a friendship that survived fame, feuds, and the simple passage of time. Some connections, Butler suggests, are truly unbreakable.
