Ozzy Osbourne was handed the Prince of Darkness nickname after two self-reflections

Ozzy Osbourne, thelegendary frontman of Black Sabbathknown for his haunting vocals and wild stage presence, has died at the age of 76. His family confirmed the news in a statement last night, revealing he died on Tuesday, July 22.

His death comes just weeks after Ozzy gave what would be his final live performance during the Back to the Beginning show at Villa Park, the home stadium of Aston Villa.

Born John Michael Osbourne, the Birmingham-born star rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Black Sabbath,a band that would help define heavy metal music.

Known for its dark, ominous sound and controversial imagery, the group drew both a devoted fan base and fierce criticism from the music industry.

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As Black Sabbath’s music gained notoriety, Ozzy earned the nickname the “Prince of Darkness” for two key reasons — it was a title that reflected both the band’s image, and also his own theatrical persona.

Originally called the Polka Tulk Blues Band, and later Earth, the band settled on the name Black Sabbath after spotting a theatre marquee across from their rehearsal space showing the 1963 Italian horror film Black Sabbath.

Inspired by the horror theme, the group wrote a song titled “Black Sabbath”, which became the title track of their groundbreaking 1970 debut album.

In a 2016 interview with NME, Ozzy reflected on how the band’s eerie music resonated with early fans. “When we started gigging way back when, as soon as we started playing this song's opening chords, young girls in the audience would... freak out,” he said. “They thought we were Satan’s... friends or something.”

Ozzy later downplayed the macabre nickname in a 2013 interview with the Broward Palm Beach New Times.

“It’s a name. I didn’t wake up one morning and go, ‘You know what, I’m going to call myself…’” he said. “It started as a joke name, really. I’m OK with it, you know? It’s better than being called an a*******.”

Ozzy had been battling ill-health in recent years, and played his final ever gig just weeks before his death.

In a statement, the Osbourne family, including Ozzy's wife, Sharon, their daughters Kelly and Aimee, their son Jack and Ozzy's son, Louis, revealed the frontman died on Tuesday morning. They said: "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. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis." Ozzy's former Black Sabbath bandmates have alsoissued moving statements.

Sharon is said to have been left utterly devastated over Ozzy's death and heartbroken over the death of her best friend. While Ozzy's sisters shared their heartbreak at their brother's death, hailing him as "loving and funny".

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