As the world continues to mourn the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on July 22 at the age of 76, longtime friend and collaborator Zakk Wylde has opened up about their enduring relationship, the emotional final performance they shared, and the massive impact Ozzy had on his life – both personally and musically.
In a heartfelt interview with Guitar World, Wylde reflected on decades spent alongside the legendary Black Sabbath frontman. From the early days of camaraderie to the very last text message they exchanged, Wylde‘s memories offer an intimate glimpse into the connection between two icons of heavy metal.
Wylde performed with Ozzy one final time during the solo set portion of July 5’s Back To The Beginning concert in Birmingham, UK – an event that would serve as Ozzy‘s final live show. Recalling the moment they performed “Mama, I’m Coming Home”, Wylde described a tense but meaningful moment shaped by love, adaptation, and instinct.
“They’re ingrained in my head,” Wylde said. “With ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home,’ when we got the acoustic out, I had to be like, ‘Keep the guitar away from the microphone so I can sing,’ because Oz‘s voice was having trouble at certain notes. It was like juggling chainsaws on a skateboard… the most important show ever, but everything’s on the fly!”
“I had to almost stop playing, lift the guitar up and put it over the mic. I needed to make sure I was always there so I could double him.”
When asked about the final time he spoke with Ozzy, Wylde recalled a poignant text exchange backstage after the show.
“Everybody and their mother were in the backstage dressing room and I just wanted to give him a break. I figured we’d see him later on — the next day or whatever. But no. The last text I got from Oz was saying, ‘Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn’t see you.’ He goes, ‘Thanks for everything.’ It was just us talking, saying, ‘I love you, buddy.’ That was it.”
For Wylde, Ozzy wasn’t just a bandleader – he was a beacon of purpose: “I always say, to have music be the thing that turns the lights on at the end of the day, instead of some job that you can’t stand, it’s everything… If I didn’t have Oz, without a doubt, I’d continue playing… but it’s how Ozzy would say what The Beatles did for him, you know?”
“Even if I hadn’t played with him, he gave me purpose to be a musician. And without a doubt, that’ll always be with me.”
Wylde‘s deep gratitude and respect for Ozzy‘s legacy extended beyond music. Speaking about the Back To The Beginning concert, which raised over $190 million for Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice, he emphasized the significance of the moment.
“I’m blessed and grateful, man. Anything other than that would be selfish,” Wylde said. “And on top of it, to go out with what’s the biggest-grossing charity event of all? That’s unbelievable. He helped a whole lot of people instead of making a profit. My God, what an incredible master. What an incredible life.”
A public funeral is set to be held for Ozzy Osbourne tomorrow, July 30 in Birmingham.
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