The legendary late rocker Ozzy Osbourne was known for bizarre antics and wild acts, but his most infamous was biting off a dead bat's head in 1982. The world was sad to learn that Ozzy Osbourne passed away in July 2025. Did the famous Black Sabbath vocalist bite the head off a dove? It’s the most rock and roll story you could ever imagine. In January 1982, Ozzy Osbourne, the pioneer of heavy metal music, shocked, disgusted and terrified the world when he bit a bat’s head off during a concert. Now, as the world mourns his demise, we take a look back at this bizarre incident and how it unfolded Ozzy Osbourne will forever be remembered at the Prince of Darkness of this generation — but even in death, his infamous 1982 bat-biting incident will go down in history. Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne died July 22 at 76. The rock legend left Des Moines "with bat taste in mouth" after a show in 1982. Ozzy Osbourne, also known as the Prince of Darkness, has long cultivated a reputation for doing insane, disgusting, attention-grabbing things. One of the oldest stories about Ozzy Osbourne's borderline behavior involves him biting the head off a bat. Here's the truth about Ozzy's bat-biting. Did rock frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who has died at the age of 76, really bite the head off a live bat? Ozzy Osbourne sadly passed away on Tuesday, and one of the singer's most infamous moments was when he bit the head off a live bat. But what really happened? In a 2022 PEOPLE interview, Ozzy Osbourne reflected on biting a head off a bat during his 1982 concert and how the moment would live on after his death. Osbourne's family announced his death at Legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a live bat in 1982. He explained why the infamous incident was really an accident. The heavy metal singer, who died July 22, was renowned for once biting the head off a real bat. Unlike another incident with a dove, this was an accident, he said. Did Ozzy Osbourne, who died today at the age of XX, really bite the head off a live bat? Did Ozzy Osbourne really bite the head off a live bat? The short answer is NO but it is somewhat true. What happened was Ozzy was touring his second solo ‘Diary of a Madman’. Did Ozzy Osbourne really eat a bat onstage? Rock's most outrageous rumor, explained The answer, like so many things in life, is complicated. Biting a Bat and 5 Other Wild Moments From Ozzy Osbourne’s Life Alcohol and drugs were often involved in funny, bizarre and terrible incidents in the heavy metal legend’s long career. Ozzy Osbourne revealed he mistook a real bat for a toy before biting its head off in 1982, a moment he later regretted as it overshadowed his music legacy. Famous moment in rock n roll history when legendary metal icon Ozzy Osbourne bit this unconcious bats head off! Ozzy Osbourne biting the head off a bat live onstage in front of a stunned audience is perhaps most surprising because of how unsurprising it is; however, one must argue that the murder was committed in the name of performance. Ozzy Osbourne infamously bit the head off of a bat during a concert at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. Biting the head off a bat Arguably one of the most famous and crazed celebrity moments ever was when Ozzy bit the head off a bat live on stage.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |