Source : Perth Now news
Ozzy Osbourne “got addicted to almost everything” in his life – including snails.
The late Black Sabbath frontman’s history of drug and drink abuse is the stuff of music legend, but a new book now states the wildman was driven by an insatiable appetite for any experience he discovered he enjoyed, from guzzling French cuisine to dousing himself in pricey aftershave.
Ozzy, who died on July 22 last year aged 76 after illnesses including Parkinson’s, is at the centre of author and heavy metal expert Keith Kahn-Harris’ nrew book, The Beautiful Death of Ozzy Osbourne: How Metal Teaches Us to Live.
It probes everything about Ozzy’s life, especially his compulsive enthusiasm for new experiences which led to his addictions.
Keith said: “To borrow a quote from (Ozzy’s) son Jack, which to me is just perfect, Ozzy swallowed the galaxy and didn’t know what to do with it. He was insatiable. He got addicted to more or less everything.”
The author added Ozzy’s compulsive curiosity went far beyond the addictions that frequently dominated headlines.
Keith uses the tome to recall how Ozzy developed unlikely fascinations that bordered on obsessions.
He said: “At one point, he and Sharon went on a trip to France and… he basically got addicted to snails. He was suddenly wanting snails – every single day. He’d be like, ‘Sharon, I’m having snails today!’”
The writer added about how Ozzy was hooked on using the same gothic fragrance for more than 30 years: “Ozzy used this very expensive brand, No. 88 by Czech Speake. They’ve just released a special tribute edition, No 88 Prince of Darkness. I want to buy some – just to see what Ozzy smelled like.
“And in (his family’s) reality show, The Osbournes, he gets totally addicted to burritos. He just couldn’t get enough new experiences.”
But Ozzy’s obsessions also led him down dark paths with cocaine, prescription medication, tobacco and the affairs that threatened his marriage to wife Sharon across their decades together.
Keith said about his addictive personality: “That could be incredibly dangerous. It led him to do bad things. But he had success beyond anything he imagined.
“(Ozzy) experienced and lived so much, for good and bad. He was never really in control of himself. His whole life was so implausible.”
The inspiration for Keith’s book came from Ozzy’s emotional farewell performance in Birmingham, where he appeared seated on a throne as he battled declining health.
Keith said: “There was something about his performance that was so intense, heartbreaking, but also life-affirming.”
He added: “When you look closely at anything Ozzy does, you’ll find something that doesn’t fit. He taught me that the world is never fixed on its axis – things can change radically. Ozzy teaches us always to expect the unexpected, to live life right to the end.”
