Alice Cooper has paid an emotional tribute to fellow rock legend Ozzy Osbourne following the latter’s death at age 76 this week.
Cooper, who was about to perform in Cardiff, Wales — just two hours from Osbourne’s birthplace — when he learned of the metal icon’s passing, shared his thoughts on Instagram and during his Alice’s Attic radio show.
“Well, we all know that time is going to take us rockers, but when the giants fall, it’s really hard to accept,” Cooper said in an audio message. “Even though everybody saw it coming with Ozzy, it just took our breath away when it happened.”
In his Instagram post, Cooper described Osbourne as having two distinct sides: “I always saw Ozzy as a cross between the prince of darkness, which is the persona his fans saw, and the court jester. That was the side that his family and friends saw.”
The tribute highlighted the immense respect Osbourne commanded throughout his career, with Cooper calling him “an unmatched showman and cultural icon” who “was and will continue to be a rock n roll legend.”
Cooper and his band dedicated their Cardiff show to Osbourne’s memory, celebrating his legacy alongside fans who had also just learned of the music world’s loss. A video shared by Cooper shows the band huddling before taking the stage, uniting in their grief while preparing to honour Osbourne through their performance.
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“Rock n Roll is a family and a fraternity. When we lose one of our own it bleeds,” Cooper wrote, expressing regret that he hadn’t known Osbourne better. “A titanic boulder has crashed, but rock will roll on.”
Osbourne’s family confirmed his passing without specifying an exact cause, though the Black Sabbath frontman had battled numerous health issues in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease and injuries sustained from a fall in 2019. His death came just weeks after he performed at a massive farewell concert that included a final Black Sabbath performance.
Cooper joins numerous other music luminaries who have paid tribute to Osbourne, including Pearl Jam, Elton John, Metallica, Coldplay, and his former Black Sabbath bandmates.
