Ozzy Osbourne once said he was unbothered about what music was played at his funeral – as long as the event was a “celebration” and not a “mope-fest”.
The world is mourning the legendary heavy metal pioneer, best known as the frontman for Black Sabbath, after his death aged 76 on Tuesday (22 July).
“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,” a joint statement from his wife, Sharon, and children Kelly, Jack and Aimee said. “He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
While plans for his funeral have not been disclosed, Osbourne – once notorious for his hard-living antics that included biting the head of a dead dove and “snorting a line of ants” – previously opened up about his vision for a send-off.
“I honestly don’t care what they play at my funeral; they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and We Are the Diddymen if it makes ’em happy – but I do want to make sure it’s a celebration, not a mope-fest,” he said in a fan Q&A with The Times back in 2011.
He concluded: “It’s worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives. So by any measure, most of us in this country — especially rock stars like me — are very lucky. That’s why I don’t want my funeral to be sad. I want it to be a time to say ‘thanks’.”
Osbourne lived to witness a global celebration of his legacy during his farewell show with Black Sabbath just weeks ago – as the original four members of the band played their first gig together in two decades, at Villa Park in Birmingham.
(The Independent)
Ozzy Osbourne wanted his funeralto be ‘celebration, not a mope-fest’
