While Ozzy Osbourne made his dream of performing one last time with Black Sabbath a reality, his final time on stage was more than a celebration. Thanks to his legacy and fame, the icon helped raise nearly $200 million for charity. Sadly, on Tuesday, the legendary singer passed away at 76. With countless fans, musicians, and fellow singers taking a moment to remember the Prince of Darkness, drummer Zak Starkey, son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr, recalled getting the chance to perform alongside the rockstar. Sadly, at the time, Starkey had to turn down the offer—a choice he’d come to regret.
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Although many within the music industry shared touching tributes, fond memories, and pictures of Ozzy, Starkey posted an image of an email from Sharon Osbourne. It read, “Black Sabbath is headlining Download on June 10 and then Lollapalooza in August. The guys need a drummer for their album, which will be recorded in September with Rick Rubin producing.”
Sounding like a memorable opportunity, Sharon added, “We would probably need you for 2-3 weeks for the album. Also, they need a drummer to play at Lollapalooza which is on August 3 in Chicago. Also, Ozzy wants to have sex with you while he is singing ‘Iron Man.’”
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Zak Starkey Labels Ozzy Osbourne “One Of The Geatest, Natural, Brilliant Singers Of All Time”
At the time of the email, Starkey continued to work with The Who. Although unclear if a scheduling conflict caused him to turn down the offer, the drummer suffered a tendon problem around the same time. No matter the excuse, the memory of nearly performing alongside Ozzy and Black Sabbath remained at the forefront of Starkey’s mind.
Besides sharing the email, Starkey captioned the post, admitting the decision was one of the few regrets he had. “Regrets I’ve had a few -this is one – (not the sex part!)”
Outside of his regret, Starkey also wrote a heartfelt tribute to Ozzy himself. Having inspired generations of singers and musicians, the drummer concluded, “Ozzy will always be one of the greatest, natural, brilliant singers of all time. I send much love and strength to his family at this sad sad time. If u aren’t familiar with the never say die record – get into it – it’s so far out – X.”
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Desert Trip)
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