Gojira‘s Joe Duplantier has revealed the outlandish approach he discovered that Ozzy Osbourne had died.
- READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne, 1948-2025: culture-smashing revolutionary that redefined rock and actuality TV
The heavy metallic pioneer frontman died final month (July 22) at age 76. In an announcement, his household shared that he was “surrounded by love” on the time of his passing. His demise got here simply weeks after he performed a ultimate stay present in his hometown, and raised “a ton” of cash for charity alongside the way in which.
The farewell ‘Again To The Starting’ present with Black Sabbath featured performances from an enormous roster of rock and metallic acts – together with Gojira. When it was introduced that Ozzy had died final month, Gojira have been in the midst of a live performance in Istanbul – upon being knowledgeable that the Prince Of Darkness had handed, they devoted ‘Flying Whales’ to the late Black Sabbath legend.
Now, frontman Joe Duplantier – who needed to introduced the tragic information mid-show to hundreds of shocked followers – has recalled how he discovered that Ozzy had handed. Talking to Guitar World, Duplantier defined: “We have been enjoying in Istanbul. Three songs in, a fan put his telephone up as we have been enjoying ‘Spine.’ It stated, ‘RIP OZZY.’ I used to be like, ‘What the hell? Please don’t – I’m working up right here!’”
He continued, saying he initially refused to imagine the information however needed to affirm it in between songs: “Once I bought the prospect, I rushed to the aspect, and my supervisor confirmed it was true.”
Although shaken, Duplantier and the remainder of the band needed to get via the present and felt they needed to break the information to the viewers, seeing because the French metallic band had simply carried out on the Again To The Starting live performance weeks prior.
“I advised the gang fairly straight. I didn’t need to make a gimmick out of it. The response was insane: no one stated a phrase. We performed ‘Flying Whales’ for Ozzy as everybody held up their lights. I may see individuals crying.”
Since Ozzy Osbourne’s passing, hundreds of followers have taken to the streets of Birmingham to go away flowers and emotional tributes to the Black Sabbath icon, and hundreds extra lined the streets on July 31 for the funeral procession. Ozzy was laid to relaxation at a non-public ceremony in Buckinghamshire, which was attended by Elton John, members of Metallica and extra.
Numerous names have come ahead to pay tribute to Ozzy, together with Zak Starkey, Adam Sandler, Ghost’s Tobias Forge, Alice Cooper, Elton John, Yungblud, Billie Joe Armstrong, Jack White, Coldplay, and Jake E Lee. Touching messages have additionally been shared by his Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Invoice Ward and Geezer Butler.
Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford additionally just lately revealed his response to the information, admitting that he “simply curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out for hours. I simply couldn’t imagine it. I nonetheless can’t imagine it now. I’m nonetheless grieving, like so many individuals.”
