Alice Cooper recently spoke about Ozzy Osbourne’s passing and reckoned that the legend’s family saw it coming.
After Robert noted that “Back To The Beginning” was “a grand way” for Ozzy to go out, with” artists of all different generations” paying tribute to him at the event, Alice said Ozzy’s family likely knew the end was near and had time to prepare. He praised Sharon, Jack, and Kelly as a wonderful family and felt sorry for their loss, but noted it wasn’t a sudden shock. In a new interview with Pierre Robert of Philadelphia’s 93.3 WMMR radio station, Cooper said:
“There must have been knowledge of, you don’t have that much longer. And [Ozzy’s wife and manager] Sharon’s such a great lady, and [their kids] Jack and Kelly, they’re really a cool family. I felt very, very sorry. But I think at least it wasn’t sudden. I think that they saw it coming and prepared for it.”
Alice Cooper also recalled learning of Ozzy Osbourne’s passing just before going on stage in Scotland. Initially, he thought it was a fake story, but soon realized it was true. He said:
“I was on my way on stage in Scotland, I think it was, going on stage, and somebody said, ‘Ozzy just passed.’ And I went, ‘Oh, it’s one of those A.I. stories that you can never believe any of these stories.’ And then somebody said, ‘No, for real. He’s gone.’ And I went, ‘How weird. Just two weeks ago they had the big thing [‘Back To The Beginning’ concert] in Birmingham. And then they must have known — he must have known that he was on his way.’ But at the same time, the O2, I said, ‘Well, yeah, we have to tip our hat to Ozzy.’ Of course, he was an old, 40-year-old friend for me; I’ve known him forever. So, I called up [actor] Johnny Depp, who’s in the Hollywood Vampires with me. And Johnny’s a killer guitar player. I mean, he’s a really good guitar player. He was playing with Jeff Beck when Jeff Beck passed away. So, you don’t play with Jeff Beck unless you’re a guitar player. And he came up, and we never told the audience what we were gonna do. At the end of ‘School’s Out’, they figured, ‘Well, there’s nothing else after that,’ with the balloons and the confetti and the whole thing, and then the guitar player starts ‘Paranoid’, and the place went crazy. And at the end, I just said, ‘Hey,’ I said, ‘Everybody say good night to Ozzy.'”
Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne shared one of the most legendary friendships in rock and heavy metal history. Both men became icons for their theatrical stage shows, outrageous personas, and willingness to shock audiences. Their relationship stretched across decades, rooted in respect and a mischievous sense of humor. Cooper often called Ozzy a “brother in arms” in shock rock, praising his unique voice and the groundbreaking power of Black Sabbath. Ozzy, in turn, credited Alice as a pioneer who inspired him to embrace wild stagecraft.
The two rock legends spent years touring together, trading wild stories, and later bonding over sobriety and survival after decades of excess. Fans always loved seeing them interact, because they represented resilience and longevity in heavy music. Tragically, Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76. His death marked the end of an era, but his influence remains eternal. Alice Cooper was among the first to pay tribute, honoring his friend as a true original who changed music forever. Their connection—spanning chaos, camaraderie, and mutual admiration—stands as proof that even the most outrageous rock stars can form lasting, meaningful bonds that live on beyond the music.
