The legendary Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for the second time, and unlike his peers, who were often verbose during this ceremony, the Prince of Darkness chose to keep things short. Seated on a throne adorned with bat wings, Ozzy expressed his gratitude with simplicity and sincerity.
A concise but powerful speech
“Well, here we are. You know what? I can’t believe I’m here,” Ozzy said. “I’ll be brief, because I don’t want to bore you with a long monologue. I want to thank everyone who voted for me into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Ozzy also paid tribute to his fans, as well as Randy Rhoads, the legendary guitarist who played a central role in his solo career: “If I hadn’t met Randy Rhoads, I don’t think I would be here today.” He also expressed his gratitude to his wife Sharon, whom he described as “savior”as well as his children and grandchildren.
Also read: “Right guys at the right time”: David Silveria celebrates 30 years of the Korn album
Performances in tribute to Ozzy
After his speech, the stage was taken over by a live band composed of prestigious musicians such as Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Wolfgang Van Halen, and Zakk Wylde. Three singers covered some of Ozzy’s biggest hits: Tool’s Maynard James Keenan performed Crazy TrainJelly Roll is chanté Mama, I’m Coming Homeand Billy Idol concluded with No More Tears.
A passionate tribute from Jack Black
Tenacious D star Jack Black had the honor of giving Ozzy’s induction speech. He enthusiastically recounted his first encounter with the music of the Prince of Darkness: “I remember the first time I heard about Ozzy. I was 13, wandering around a record store and an older geek said to me, ‘Stop procrastinating, kid. This is the album for you, Blizzard of Ozz.’”
Black described Ozzy’s impact on his own life, saying the metal icon represented “the most badass thing that[il avait] never seen”even before listening to his music.
A second induction for Ozzy
This is the second time Ozzy Osbourne has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He previously received this honor in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath. This year, he joined other legends like Peter Frampton, Foreigner, the Dave Matthews Band, and MC5 for the class of 2024.
