David Lee Roth paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne during his July 22nd concert in California, reminiscing about their friendship from Van Halen’s 1978 UK tour supporting Black Sabbath.
Reflecting on Ozzy’s passing, Roth shared a humorous story about asking a Buddhist monk if there’s laughter in heaven, concluding with a heartfelt message to Ozzy, saying they’ll share a drink together in hell. Roth honored Ozzy by striking his iconic double peace sign pose before performing “Atomic Punk.”
“I didn’t even know there were 22 cities in the United Kingdom,” he told the crowd, before adding: “Ozzy Osbourne and I became very, very good friends on that tour. And the sad news is that he has departed.”
He continued: “I once asked a Buddhist monk, ‘Do you think there’s laughter in heaven?’ And he told me, ‘No, I don’t think so.’ So Ozzy Osbourne, save me a seat, and when I get to hell, we’ll have a drink, brother.”
The Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of 76.
The legendary heavy metal singer’s family expressed their grief in a statement on July 22, which read,
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Osbourne leaves behind his wife, Sharon, and their children, Aimee, Kelly and Jack, as well his two older children, Jessica and Louis, from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, and grandchildren.
