In an epic collision of rock legends, members of Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, and Judas Priest have come forward in a rare joint tribute — and the subject of their heartfelt praise? None other than the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne.
The breaking news dropped during a surprise segment on a streaming rock documentary series, where James Hetfield (Metallica), Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), and Rob Halford (Judas Priest) joined forces to share their deepest admiration for Ozzy, who recently announced he’s officially stepping away from touring due to health reasons.
And let’s just say — they didn’t hold back.
“Ozzy was my first real rock idol,” Hetfield revealed. “I saw Sabbath live when I was a kid, and I walked out thinking, ‘This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’ Without Ozzy, there might be no Metallica.” Mic drop.
Billy Corgan took it even further, crediting Osbourne’s unfiltered persona for breaking the mold of what a rock frontman could be. “Ozzy made it okay to be weird, raw, and real,” Corgan said. “He didn’t pretend, and that honesty gave people like me permission to be ourselves.” He even admitted that several Smashing Pumpkins riffs were directly inspired by early Black Sabbath.
But it was Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford who tugged at the heartstrings. With tears in his eyes, he described Ozzy as “the godfather of us all”, recalling late-night studio sessions where Sabbath records played on loop. “He gave us the blueprint — not just musically, but spiritually. Ozzy is the soul of heavy metal.”
The tribute wasn’t just emotional — it was also filled with behind-the-scenes gems. Apparently, Hetfield and Halford once tried to convince Ozzy to guest star on a secret track in the late 2000s. The reason it didn’t happen? Ozzy reportedly got distracted playing with a rubber bat puppet backstage. Classic Ozzy.
Fans are already calling for a full-length documentary chronicling these legends’ relationship with Osbourne. Twitter erupted within minutes of the news, with hashtags like #ThankYouOzzy and #RockRoyalty trending across the globe.
With decades of influence, mayhem, and metal under his belt, Ozzy Osbourne remains more than just a rock star — he’s the spiritual father of an entire genre. And now, with his peers publicly paying their respects, one thing is crystal clear:
Ozzy didn’t just bite the head off the bat — he breathed life into heavy metal.
