BLACK SABBATH’s Geezer Butler Reflects On Ozzy Osbourne: “If Anything, He Was The Prince Of Laughter”

Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has opened up about the death of his longtime bandmate Ozzy Osbourne, offering heartfelt reflections on their final days together and the significance of their last performance at Back To The Beginning.

That show, held on July 5th, 2025, in Birmingham, UK, served as the final live performance for both Ozzy and the original lineup of Black Sabbath. Following Ozzy’s passing on July 22nd, the event took on even deeper meaning, becoming one of the metal legend’s last public appearances.

In a newly published tribute via The Times, Butler challenged the iconic “Prince Of Darkness” label often attached to his friend and bandmate, stating:

“To me, Ozzy wasn’t the Prince of Darkness — if anything he was the Prince of Laughter. He’d do anything for a laugh, a born entertainer.”

Butler went on to describe the emotional lead-up to the performance and seeing Ozzy during rehearsals:

“The rehearsals for that final show started a month before at a studio in the Oxfordshire countryside. Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and I ran through seven songs together. Of course, not having played together for 20 years, it took a couple of days to get rid of the rust. Then it was time for Ozzy to join us. I knew he wasn’t in good health, but I wasn’t prepared to see how frail he was. He was helped into the rehearsal room by two helpers and a nurse and was using a cane — being Ozzy, the cane was black and studded with gold and precious stones. He didn’t really say much beyond the usual greetings and when he sang, he sat in a chair. We ran through the songs but we could see it was exhausting him after six or seven songs. We had a bit of a chat, but he was really quiet compared with the Ozzy of old. After a couple more weeks we were ready for the show.”

The legendary bassist closed his tribute with a somber reflection:

“Nobody knew he’d be gone from us little more than two weeks after the final show. But I am so grateful we got to play one last time together in front of his beloved fans. The love from the fans and all the bands, musicians, singers and solo artists that night was incredible. Everyone had come to pay homage to the Prince.”

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