Sharon Osbourne is more than just the fiery wife of Ozzy Osbourne. She’s a powerhouse manager, a business mastermind, and the force that turned the Prince of Darkness into one of the biggest solo rock stars of all time. But what if we told you that she also played a key role in getting him replaced in Black Sabbath?
Ozzy Osbourne’s on-stage persona was legendary, but behind the scenes, in late 70s, things were spiraling out of control. Ozzy’s on and off-stage antics drew attention.
“They would take his albums out of every Tower Records. They would ban him on certain radio stations. And it was like, he’s not a killer, yet. I can remember CBS calling me and saying, ‘If Ozzy ever comes to our premises…’ — after he bit [the head of] the dove off in the meet and greet that we had — ‘… we will stop releasing his records, and we will not let him be sold to another label. We will just destroy him.'”
However, the actions made it clear to Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward that something had to change.
So, in 1979, the unthinkable happened—Black Sabbath officially fired Ozzy Osbourne. And while the band has never admitted that Sharon Osbourne played a direct role in the decision, she certainly didn’t try to stop it.
After parting ways with Ozzy, Black Sabbath needed a new voice, and fast. And that’s when Sharon Osbourne made a suggestion that would change heavy metal history. According to Sharon herself, Tony Iommi came to her, asking if she knew anyone who could step in.
