Biting a Bat and 5 Other Wild Moments From Ozzy Osbourne’s Life

Alcohol and drugs frequently played a role in the amusing, strange, and tragic events throughout the heavy metal icon’s extensive career.

The long career of Ozzy Osbourne, the renowned English heavy metal figure who passed away this week at the age of 76, was marked by wild and unforgettable moments that sometimes eclipsed his musical achievements.

He gained recognition as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath, as a solo performer, and later through the reality series “The Osbournes,” which showcased his family.

However, the rocker famously dubbed the “Prince of Darkness” was also notorious for his indulgent lifestyle, much of which was driven by alcohol and drugs.

Here are some of the more outrageous incidents:

This is the first thing that comes to mind for many who aren’t fans of metal when they hear the name Ozzy Osbourne, and perhaps the only thing they recall.

Indeed, Osbourne did bite the head off a bat during a performance in Des Moines.

During a solo tour that year, the singer and his audience had taken to tossing animal parts at one another. (Ah, the essence of rock ‘n’ roll.) One evening in January, a fan threw a bat onto the stage. In a moment that was recorded on video, Osbourne, who later claimed he thought it was a toy, picked it up and took a bite out of it.