Just weeks after Black Sabbath’s last performance together, bassist Terence “Geezer” Butler is mourning not just a bandmate, but a lifelong friend.
In a heartfelt essay published by The Sunday Times, Butler, also 76, shared emotional memories of his 57-year friendship with Ozzy Osbourne, which began in 1968 when they co-founded the legendary rock band alongside Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.
Osbourne passed away on July 22 at age 76—only 17 days after their final gig.
“I Wasn’t Prepared to See How Frail He Was,” Butler Says
“I am so privileged to have spent most of my life with him,” Butler wrote. “Of course, there are millions of things I will think of that I should have written, but how can I sum up 57 incredible years of friendship in a few paragraphs? God bless, Oz, it has been one hell of a ride! Love you!”
The tribute also revealed Osbourne’s declining health leading up to the band’s July 5 farewell show at Villa Park in Birmingham—a fitting full-circle moment, since both Osbourne and Butler grew up near the stadium.
“So it was quite fitting, for Ozzy and Black Sabbath to end the long journey from our beginning in 1968 to our final show back in Aston at Villa Park,” Butler wrote. “I didn’t realize then that I would never see Ozzy again after that night.”
He recalled rehearsals beginning a month ahead of the concert, noting that Osbourne needed assistance walking and used a custom cane. “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.”
Butler added, “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.”
The bassist described the ending of the final show: “Normally, we would all hug each other and take a bow… but Ozzy was on his throne and we hadn’t thought that out. What do we do? Tony shook his hand, I presented him with a cake, but it was such a strange feeling to end our story like that.”
He added, quoting Osbourne: “‘Wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which comes first.’”
“Ozzy Was the Prince of Laughter”
Butler shared fond memories of the band’s early days, recalling that Osbourne once showed up barefoot at his door. “Okay, you’re in the band,” Butler told him.
Reflecting on their nearly six decades together, Butler emphasized their unbreakable bond. “There was always an invisible link between Ozzy, Tony, Bill and me,” he wrote. “We had gone through the best of times and the worst of times; the bond was unbreakable.”
Though Osbourne was widely known as the “Prince of Darkness,” Butler offered a different take: “To me, Ozzy wasn’t the Prince of Darkness — if anything, he was the Prince of Laughter.”
He acknowledged Osbourne’s wild solo years, saying, “Most of his infamous antics — the bat saga, biting the head off a dove, pissing on the Alamo, snorting lines of ants — 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.”
One such moment came when Butler’s 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,” he shared.
Butler concluded by expressing gratitude for the chance to play one final show. “Nobody knew he’d be gone from us little more than two weeks after the final show,” he wrote. “The love from the fans and all the bands… that night was incredible.”
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Black Sabbath Bassist Honors Ozzy’s Legacy With Heartfelt Essay