Published: January 29, 2020
In one of his most candid interviews, the Prince of Darkness reflects on fear, resilience, and why music remains the medicine that keeps him moving
In one of the most intimate interviews of his career, Ozzy Osbourne opened up about aging, health challenges, and the mindset required to keep pushing forward. Speaking with the UK magazine Kerrang! shortly after publicly revealing his Parkinson’s diagnosis, the Prince of Darkness allowed fans to see a side of him rarely shown on stage.
Following a delicate neck surgery in 2019—complications from an old injury—Osbourne was forced to cancel all live touring activity. Soon after, he received confirmation of Parkinson’s PRKN 2, a variant of the neurological disorder that affects movement but does not constitute a death sentence.
Asked about mortality, Ozzy responded with disarming honesty:
“Do I ever think about when my time will come? Yeah, I think about it; but I don’t worry. I’m not going to be here in another fifteen years or whatever, but I don’t dwell on it. It’s going to happen to all of us.”
Despite physical and emotional setbacks, Osbourne found refuge in what has always grounded him: music. The recording of his album Ordinary Man his first solo release in a decade became, as he described it, “the best medicine I could have had.”
“I was doing something, something I like to do. I wish I could do more,” he admitted.
During the red carpet of the 2020 Grammy Awards, Osbourne reaffirmed his determination to continue with his “No More Tours 2” schedule, health permitting:
“I’m receiving physical therapy every day, five days a week. I’m trying, doing the best I can. Neck surgery is not easy.”
Standing beside him, Kelly Osbourne expressed admiration for her father’s perseverance:
“Seeing how far dad has come this year and just in the last week has been amazing. Speaking his truth has lifted a huge weight off his shoulders.”
His wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, echoed that perspective in an interview with Good Morning America:
“There are many different types of Parkinson’s. It’s not a death sentence, but it affects certain nerves in your body. There are good days and bad days.”
Through brutal honesty, dark humor, and unwavering passion, Ozzy continues to demonstrate a lesson beyond the theatrics of rock and roll: resilience is its own form of art.
For fans around the world, his voice remains more than music.
It is a reminder to keep moving—even when the body resists, and time refuses to slow down.
