Noel Gallagher once revealed a funny exchange he shared with Ozzy Osbourne when the Black Sabbath star gave him and his brother Liam an ironic piece of advice given his ‘Prince of Darkness’ nickname
The music world is mourning the loss of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne after his death was revealed yesterday at the age of 76.
A statement from his family read: “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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Since then, tributes have poured in for the man who was instrumental to the heavy metal scene, and one anecdote has come from a resurfaced interview Noel Gallagher gave to Absolute Radio in 2023.
Noel was promoting his Council Skies album but during the interview Ozzy’s name came up, before he told a hilarious story about meeting him.
Despite his Manchester roots, Noel lived in Buckinghamshire for a long time, and had an estate in Chalront St Giles.
And recalling one encounter with Ozzy, who also lived in the area, Noel said: “Ozzy used to live near me out in Buckinghamshire.”
Putting on his best Brummie accent, Noel continued: “He said to me once, ‘Bit of advice for you and your brother, try and smile a bit more!’ And we were like, ‘Oh, thanks for that, thank you,’ you know.”
After the clip resurfaced after Ozzy’s death, one fan commented: “Imagine being told by the prince of darkness to smile more.”
Another joked: “He wasn’t wrong, was he!”
A third said: “One legend less, RIP Ozzy.”
Ozzy, who was diagnosed with a mild form of Parkinson’s disease in 2003, performed his last set from a large black throne just weeks before his death.
This historic moment took place in his beloved Villa Park close to where Black Sabbath got together way back in 1968.
Many famous faces have led tributes to Ozzy including Elton John who took to Instagram to call him a “dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods — a true legend”.
And like Noel did two years ago, Elton also mentioned Ozzy’s sense of humour, and added: “He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love.”
Legendary rock band Aerosmith also released the following statement: “We’re heartbroken to hear about the passing of our brother in rock, Ozzy Osbourne. A voice that changed music forever. From Black Sabbath to his solo work, Ozzy redefined what it meant to be heavy. He did it all with heart, grit, and that wild spirit only he could bring.
“Our love goes out to Sharon, his family, his band, and the millions around the world who felt his fire.Rock on, Ozzy. You will be missed, but never forgotten!”