Sharon Osbourne shares Ozzy’s loud advice for remembering him

Ozzy Osbourne’s preferred memorial, according to Sharon Osbourne, was very Ozzy: crank the volume and head bang.

Sharon was in Birmingham, Ozzy’s hometown, on Wednesday as the city marked the first anniversary of his death and held its first Ozzy Day, Rolling Stone reported. Speaking to the BBC, she said the late metal icon had told her how he wanted to be remembered after he was gone.

“As Ozzy would say, ‘When you want to remember me, just yank up the music really loud, as loud as you can get it, and just head bang,’” Sharon told the BBC.

Ozzy died a year ago at 76, according to Rolling Stone. The Birmingham event put the spotlight back on the city that shaped him and Black Sabbath, the band that helped define heavy metal.

Sharon told the BBC she wants Ozzy Day to keep going in Birmingham, calling the city “the home of metal.” She said it was Ozzy’s birthplace, the place he loved, and that the celebration “wouldn’t work anywhere else.”

Sharon remembers Ozzy’s humor

Sharon also spoke about the qualities she believes made Ozzy connect with fans across decades: his honesty, his humor and his refusal to play a polished part.

“He was authentic,” she told the BBC. “He never tried to be anything other than what he was, and he would tell you the truth about everything and that was him, you knew where you were with him.”

She added that Ozzy was “genuine” and “funny,” describing how laughter could cut through even the roughest moments in their marriage.

“I mean we could have the worst arguments in the world but we would end up laughing because he would say something so ridiculous that we would just crack up,” Sharon recalled to the BBC.

Rolling Stone noted that Ozzy’s humor later reached viewers far beyond metal through the family’s reality show, The Osbournes. His live reputation, meanwhile, was built on unruly, high-voltage performances that made him one of rock’s most recognizable frontmen.

Black Sabbath bandmates pay tribute

Ozzy’s Black Sabbath bandmates also marked the anniversary of his death, according to Rolling Stone.

Bassist Geezer Butler posted a photo on Instagram of Ozzy seated on his bat throne. In the caption, Butler wrote: “One year ago today – hard to believe.”

Butler said he was grateful the band had been able to perform a final show in their hometown shortly before Ozzy died. “Gone in body, but his legend lives on. Such incredible memories. Ozzy forever!” he wrote.

The anniversary tributes tied Ozzy’s public legacy back to Birmingham, where his music began and where Sharon said fans should keep gathering to remember him, preferably with the music turned all the way up.

This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.