Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has opened up about the death of Ozzy Osbourne. He shared his emotional reaction to losing the Black Sabbath legend in a recent interview with 101 WRIF.
Halford was unable to attend Osbourne’s farewell concert “Back to the Beginning” due to Judas Priest’s tour schedule. He described the devastating moment he learned of Ozzy’s death.
“Oh, man. I got a call the day [Ozzy’s death] happened. I just put the phone down in my hotel room in — I think I was in Leeds, in England, and I just curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out for hours,” Halford said. “I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it now. I’m still grieving, like so many people.”
When asked about his last contact with Osbourne, Halford reflected on their relationship and mutual respect.
“No. We used to text occasionally. ‘Cause he’s another guy I was in awe of. I’m still in awe of Alice [Cooper]. [Laughs] ‘Oh my God. He’s Alice Cooper.’ And I used to feel the same whenever I was in Ozzy’s presence, because he had this larger-than-life personality,” he continued.
Despite the time that had passed since their last communication, Halford emphasized the lasting impact of their musical connection.
“It’d been a while since we’ve been in touch. But, again, I just have the wonderful memories of the two opportunities I was able to sing for him with Sabbath. And then this recent opportunity to cover ‘War Pigs’ [with Priest], which we still play at the start of our show, which is one of the greatest metal songs ever written,” he said. “So that connection will never be severed in that respect.”
Halford’s emotional tribute reflects a deep friendship forged through decades of mutual respect and professional collaboration between two of metal’s most iconic figures.
The bond between Halford and Osbourne extends far beyond mere admiration. It is rooted in moments when the Judas Priest frontman stepped up to help his fellow metal legend. BraveWords reported that Halford once filled in for Osbourne at Black Sabbath’s 2004 Ozzfest show in Camden when Ozzy was too ill to perform. He did so on just a few hours’ notice.
“She [Sharon Osbourne] said, ‘Ozzy’s not feeling very well. Can you sing his show?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, when you want me to do it?’ She goes, ‘Tonight.’ I’m like, ‘Tonight…?’ So, you do what you do. But we help each other, don’t we? We got each other’s backs, that’s the main thing,” Halford recalled about that memorable night.
This spirit of mutual support wasn’t a one-time occurrence. Far Out Magazine documented that Halford also played a crucial role during Black Sabbath’s 1997 ‘No More Tours’ run when the band needed him to help fill in and keep the shows going. Tony Iommi himself credited Halford for saving the tour. He noted that without him stepping in, “there wouldn’t have been a show at all.”
The professional relationship between the two metal icons has been characterized by genuine respect and admiration. Rock and Roll Garage revealed that Osbourne has consistently praised Halford’s vocal abilities and stage presence. He described him as one of the greatest metal singers of all time. This mutual appreciation has created a lasting bond that transcends their individual careers and continues to influence both artists’ work.
