3 of Ozzy Osbourne’s Craziest Experiences on Tour

It’s a serious wonder that Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne is still kicking at 75 years old. The man did a lot of wild stuff back in the day that should have ended him, much of which he has been quite candid about in interviews. Let’s take a look at just three of Ozzy Osbourne’s craziest experiences while on tour!

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1. The Bat-Munching Incident

We could not leave this incident out. Biting the head of a bat has become a huge part of Osbourne’s legacy; though it’s not exactly the most positive stunt to have in your history as a famous musician.

The story goes that in the 1980s, during a packed concert, a bat was thrown on stage by someone in the audience. Osbourne, thinking the bat was either dead or fake, bit its head off. Unfortunately, the bat was allegedly not dead and very much real. Osbourne was whisked off to the hospital for a rabies shot immediately after the concert ended.

2. The Infamous C*****e Duel

Unfortunately, drug abuse is a rampant issue in the music world. It’s been that way for decades. With all the money and glitz and fame, it makes sense how easy it would be to fall into a whirlwind of drug addiction and misuse, especially in the rock world. Osbourne is no stranger to it, either.

Back in 1978, the members of Black Sabbath and Van Halen allegedly had a “c*****e duel”. Van Halen was opening for Black Sabbath’s tour stop in Alabama, and David Lee Roth and Ozzy Osbourne allegedly got into a competition of sorts to see how could snort the most c*ke. The duel went on until Roth passed out in the morning, but Osbourne had gone missing. The police were called, a search was underway, and a dazed Osbourne was eventually found when he wandered into the lobby of his hotel hours later.

3. The Ant-Snorting Debacle

This is one of Ozzy Osbourne’s craziest experiences on tour, and he even admitted to it (to the dismay of his wife) in an interview. Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe once talked about this story, and it’s not exactly surprising that Osbourne confirmed it.

The story goes that during one drug and alcohol-fueled tour, Osbourne got into a stomach-churning competition with Lee that ended with him snorting a line of ants. It took quite a bit of c*****e and alcohol to motivate him, but he did indeed commit the strange act. To the best of his memory, at least.

Photo by Nitin Vadukul

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