Ozzy Osbourne remembered first encountering Metallica when he took them on the road in 1986. The Black Sabbath legend and heavy metal singer shared what it was like meeting the metal band who were then up and coming, giving thoughts on their ascent. It's impossible to put into words what Ozzy Osbourne has meant to METALLICA. Hero, icon, pioneer, inspiration, mentor, and most of all, friend are a few that come to mind. Ozzy Osbourne and the other original members of Black Sabbath, the band credited with creating heavy metal, have played their final show at a massive event held in their hometown of Birmingham. Some of the biggest acts of metal, from Metallica to Lamb of God, joined the band for the farewell concert at Villa Park on Saturday for 10 solid hours of music. Black Sabbath have paid tribute to bandmate Ozzy Osbourne following his death aged 76. The family of the rock icon released a statement on Tuesday night sharing that he had died this morning. The Metallica paid tribute to their friend, Ozzy Osbourne, calling him a 'hero, icon, pioneer, inspiration, mentor' in a tender tribute. Ozzy Osbourne reflected on how he met the members of Metallica and shared a rarely-known story in a brand new interview. Osbourne called them a “nice bunch of guys” and mentioned Metallica singer-guitarist James Hetfield’s many skateboarding mishaps when he talked about their time together. Metallica opened for Ozzy on the first American leg of his solo “The Ultimate Sin Tour” in 1986. Metallica have paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne following the legendary singer's passing on Tuesday morning (July 22nd). Metallica is one of the groups that was influenced by Osbourne's talents. The official X/Twitter account for the legendary Los Angeles-based band shared a brief, but powerful, reaction to the news Ozzy Osbourne said in May 2022 that he thought Metallica were taking the piss when he overheard them covering Black Sabbath. Ozzy Osbourne described the moment he first met Metallica when he took them on tour in 1986, remembering how he thought that Lars Ulrich & Co. were "taking the piss" out of him by playing Metallica mourns the loss of Ozzy Osbourne with a simple Instagram post. A look back at Metallica's 1986 tour with Ozzy Osbourne and the impact of their album Master Of Puppets. Metallica is one of the groups that was influenced by Osbourne's talents. The official X/Twitter account for the legendary Los Angeles-based band shared a brief, but powerful, reaction to the news Metallica Calls Ozzy Osbourne a ‘Pioneer’ Metallica shared a photo of the band posing with Osbourne and put a long, emotional statement in the caption. They started by saying “RIP” before launching into a kind tribute which calls Osbourne a “hero, icon, inspiration, and mentor,” as well as a friend. The world lost a legend on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, with the passing of Ozzy Osbourne. A pioneer. A king. The Prince of Darkness. A true architect of heavy metal through his legacy with Black Sabbath and his unforgettable solo career. Ozzy was 76 years old. He had been battling Parkinson’s disease since his 2020 diagnosis, along with complications from spinal injuries sustained in a 2018 Ozzy Osbourne recalls his first encounter with Metallica when he joined them on the road in 1986. The Prince of Darkness shared what it was like meeting the metal band when they were just starting out in their musical journey. Ozzy Osbourne may have helped define heavy metal with Black Sabbath in 1970, but Metallica took the genre to near unfathomable heights almost 20 years later when they released The Black Album. Five years before that, Ozzy took the young thrashers under his wing for a tour of the US in Spring '86. Ozzy Osbourne remembered first encountering Metallica when he took them on the road in 1986. The Black Sabbath legend and heavy metal singer shared what it was like meeting the metal band who Robert Trujillo offers a detailed breakdown of how he dealt with all matters of world and creativity in a pandemic, and how he saw the journey into "72 Seasons" being created.
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