Before Ozzy Osbourne’s death and ahead of Black Sabbath’s final performance at the “Back to the Beginning” concert in Birmingham, Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan sat down with Louder Sound to talk about the heavy metal icon’s legacy.
What stood out from the interview? McKagan’s raw and honest comparison between Ozzy Osbourne and another rock legend — Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant.
“Ozzy Was One of Us”
“He made it seem like anyone could get up and sing,” McKagan said of Ozzy.
“Not that he’s not a great singer — he is. But Robert Plant? I can’t sing like that. But Ozzy? He was one of us.”
In that one quote, McKagan captured what many fans have long felt about Ozzy Osbourne: his presence wasn’t just larger than life — it was familiar, approachable, and human.
Sabbath Before Punk: A Musical Awakening
McKagan also revealed how Black Sabbath shaped his early musical identity, even before the punk rock scene swept him up.
“Sabbath were there for me before punk,” he said. “We had an FM radio station that would play whole sides of new albums. I heard ‘Iron Man,’ and to a six- or seven-year-old, that’s like, ‘Wow!’”
That sense of wonder stuck with him. What made Sabbath — and Ozzy — so powerful wasn’t just the riffs. It was that their music felt achievable.
“And then when you start playing, you go, ‘Well, maybe I could play that.’ Sabbath seemed to make things accessible.”
A Frontman Who Invited You In
While Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin is often praised for his vocal range and godlike stage presence, McKagan’s point is that Ozzy Osbourne made audiences feel like they belonged. There was no pedestal — just connection.
Ozzy wasn’t trying to be untouchable. He was the guy who screamed, stumbled, laughed, and still delivered. And it’s precisely that sense of authenticity that earned him a lasting place in the hearts of millions — fellow musicians included.
Legacy of Accessibility
For Duff McKagan and a generation of rockers, Ozzy’s legacy goes beyond platinum records and legendary tours. He was a reminder that you didn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
“Ozzy wasn’t about perfection — he was about passion. And that’s what made him great,” McKagan’s words imply throughout the interview.
