Black Sabbath’s bassist, Terence ‘Geezer’ Butler, has written an essay in The Sunday Times about his 57-year-long friendship with the late Ozzy Obsourne, who died on July 22 only a few weeks after the last Black Sabbath gig.
Osbourne died after a long legacy
Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne died at the age of 76 on July 22 after a long legacy in rock music.
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He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and passed away only a few weeks after what would be his final gig with the band.
Butler wrote about their friendship
Butler, who was part of Black Sabbath alongside frontman Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward, has now written an essay about their friendship.
He wrote about everything from forming the band to its farewell concert. He and Osbourne had been friends for almost six decades.
He detailed Osbourne’s connection with Villa Park
The band had what would be Osbourne’s final gig at Villa Park, the stadium of the football team Aston Villa in Birmingham.
Butler began his essay detailing the significance of Villa Park in Osbourne’s long history, saying that he and Osbourne both grew up near the stadium.
He also noted that the stadium had reunited the band in 2024 after having last seen each other in 2017.
Butler spoke about seeing Ozzy in 2025
“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, on July 5,” Butler wrote.
“I didn’t realize then that I would never see Ozzy again after that night,” he added.
He was surprised to see him so frail
“I knew he wasn’t in good health, but I wasn’t prepared to see how frail he was,” Butler 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 was moved the most by the end
The bassist went on to say that “the strongest part of that show was the end.”
“Normally, we would all hug each other and take a bow to the audience,” he explained. “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.”
Butler wished he had more time with Ozzy
“I wish I’d had more time backstage with Ozzy, but wishes are redundant now. As Ozzy used to say: ‘Wish in one hand and sh*t in the other and see which comes first,’” Butler added.
The bassist recalled meeting Ozzy for the first time
Butler recalled the first time he met Osbourne, which was also the beginning of Black Sabbath’s formation.
Osbourne had arrived barefoot at his doorstep and Butler almost immediately declared, “Okay, you’re in the band.”
Butler highlighted the bond in the band
Talking about the band being “the most incredible journey of our lives,” Butler added that the four band members “became inseparable brothers in arms” who were “always looking out for each other.”
Butler said in the emotional essay that there “was always an invisible link between Ozzy, Tony, Bill and me.”
He called Osbourne the Prince of Laughter
The bassist went on to write, “To me, Ozzy wasn’t the Prince of Darkness — if anything, he was the Prince of Laughter. He’d do anything for a laugh, a born entertainer.”
