The interviewer then asks if the bat was alive when Osbourne picked it up, he replied it was, “’Til I bit the head off it.” The reports as to whether the bat was, in fact, alive tend to differ slightly depending on which source you go to. The Des Moines Register naturally covered the story after it broke and sparked outrage. Ozzy Osbourne's shocking 1982 bat-biting incident became one of rock's most legendary and bizarre moments, but what happened after? Did Ozzy Osbourne, who died today at the age of XX, really bite the head off a live bat? Nearly three years before his family announced his death at age 76 on July 22, the Black Sabbath rocker reflected on a 1982 incident at his gig in Des Moines, Iowa — where he bit the head off a Ozzy is also remembered for his infamous performances, notably when he bit a bat's head off live on stage in January 1982. But what actually happened? 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. 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. 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? Did Ozzy get rabies shots? Osbourne admitted that the bat bit him in the process, and he got a rabies shot. While the legendary rock star claimed the bat was alive, the young fan who threw it on Here's everything you need to know about the infmaous night that Ozzy Osbourne bit a bat's head off with his teeth mid-concert. 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 Dead or alive Accounts seem settled on it not being a rubber bat, but conflicting versions start to appear on a crucial aspect: was the bat dead or alive at the time Osbourne took the bite? One of Ozzy Osbourne's most iconic moments is when he bit the head off a bat during a performance, but over the years the story of what happened and whether the bat was alive has changed It remains unclear if it was alive or dead, but the key thing is that Osbourne thought it was a toy, so he bit its head off. Talk about going off the rails on a crazy train. Did rock frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who has died at the age of 76, really bite the head off a live bat? 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. Ozzy Osbourne’s infamous ‘live bat’ moment back in 1982 is making the headlines again after the Black Sabbath singer’s death aged 76. The news of the rock icon's passing was announced by his family on Tuesday (22 July), who said he died 'surrounded by love' in a statement. 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. That time Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat Washington Post Michael E. Miller, The Washington Post Published Jul 23, 2025 • 4 minute read
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