Whether fans knew him from his early days as the frontman of Black Sabbath or from “The Osbournes” reality show, a lot of people are flashing back fondly to thoughts of Ozzy Osbourne, who died Tuesday at the age of 76.
Longtime Washington-area DJ Cerphe recalls Ozzy Osbourne, and the heavy metal genre, “really began to get traction,” after he was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979.
“If you went to any of those early shows with Ozzy and his band, you’d see the massive banks of amplifiers and PA systems with enormous sound, able to handle concert arenas,” Cerphe said, who began his radio career with WHFS, and was a groundbreaker in music streaming with Music Planet Radio.
Cerphe said Ozzy played the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, in 1982 as part of his “Diary of a Madman” tour, and again in 1983.
“It was for his ‘Ultimate Sin’ tour, when I was at DC101, I brought listeners backstage for a meet and greet, preshow,” Cerphe recalled.
Osbourne, dubbed “The Prince of Darkness,” was open about his battles with addictions during most of his adult life.
“So, Ozzy walks into the green room, looking a little worse for wear,” Cerphe said. A few people in the room walked up to say hello, or get an autograph.
“Suddenly, Ozzy demands that he’s got to see a doctor or nurse to give him an injection of vitamin B-12 so he could perform,” Cerphe said. A hush fell over the room.
“While we’re waiting for a doctor, the group of happy listeners gets cleared out, and Ozzy looks at me and the promoter, and a couple of other radio people, and he says, ‘You know, me mum was a nurse,'” Cerphe said. “I don’t think she was, but it was a funny moment.”
Obviously, the show went on.
“Fast forward years later, we all felt like we knew Ozzy from reality TV,” when “The Osbournes” became a runaway hit in the early 2000s. Prior to the show, Ozzy “was known to much of the public as a dark purveyor of deeds ranging from decadent to downright satanic,” according to The Associated Press.
“He wasn’t the guy biting heads off bats,” said Cerphe. “Ozzy was more personal and lovable than what we’d ever seen on stage.”
Cerphe said he was “so glad Ozzy had a chance to say goodbye” during a farewell show on July 5, which included a reunion with Black Sabbath.
“Despite battling addiction and bravely facing Parkinson’s disease, Ozzy recorded 13 solo studio albums,” marveled Cerphe. “He was one of a kind.”
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
