Ozzy Osbourne was the beating heart of heavy metal. Period, full stop. Every single person who plays or listens to this music frankly owes him – unpayable debt, unshakeable gratitude, undying affection. He was 76 years old, and timeless. No performer anywhere ever loved his fans more, or connected with them more deeply, or they with him. It must be a measure of that metric the degree to which the cavalcade of heartfelt thanks, condolences, and remembrances, from friends and fans alike, that, since word first spread of his passing Tuesday, has issued forth from all corners of the internet and only slightly greater news ecosphere like a raging river overtaking a beaver dam, has consistently moved me, at times damned near wrecked me, and, in the end, almost literally forced my notoriously reticent hand to add something to the conversation. Continue reading “Ozzy Osbourne: An Appreciation”
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