As fans around the world mourn the loss of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, who died July 22 at 76, many are revisiting the wild stories that defined his career – and few are more bizarre than the time he decided to give up LSD after a deep conversation with a horse, who told him to “f*** off.”
Few figures in music history have burned as brightly – or as bizarrely – as Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary Prince of Darkness.
From biting the head off a bat on stage to becoming the unlikely star of a hit reality show, the Black Sabbath frontman, who helped shape the sound of heavy metal, was known for pushing boundaries – both musically and personally. And his substance-fuelled antics, like biting the head off a bat on stage – became infamous.
‘Never felt great about myself’
While his altered personality seemed entertaining to fans, the heavy drug use eventually took a serious toll, sparking a decades-long battle with addiction that would follow him throughout much of his career.
In a 2021 interview with Variety, Osbourne opened up about his longtime battle with addiction, admitting that he self-medicated “because I’ve never liked the way I felt.”
“I’ve had great success in my life, but I’ve never felt great about myself. And so, from a very early age, I used to sniff fumes, all kinds of things, anything to get me out of my head,” he told the publication
Strain on family life
Candid about the damage caused by his substance abuse, the rock legend explained it placed a strain on his family life.
“But then you realize the kids have got this fear in their eyes. I mean, it’s a very selfish disease. My kids needed me. I’d give whatever materialistic things they ever wanted. But the most important person wasn’t there,” said Osborne, who at the time had been sober about seven years.
Wild acid trip
In a candid interview with Classic Rock, the “Crazy Train” singer reflected on the wild days of recording Black Sabbath’s groundbreaking fourth album, Vol. 4 – a heavy metal milestone released in September 1972.
“We lived together in a house in Los Angeles, rehearsed there, did loads of drugs and made an album: simple,” Ozzy told the outlet. “Those were good times.”
It was around the same time that he took his psychedelic trip to a field in England, where he had an encounter with an unusual creature that made him swear off acid.
Conversation with a horse
“At that time in America, people were very fond of lacing your drinks with acid,” said Ozzy. “I didn’t care. I used to swallow handfuls of tabs at a time. The end of it came when we got back to England,” he said, per Classic Rock.
“I took 10 tabs of acid then went for a walk in a field. I ended up standing there talking to this horse for about an hour. In the end the horse turned round and told me to f*** off. That was it for me,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer revealed.
Death of a legend
On July 22, 2025, only 17 days after his last live performance, the family shared a heartbreaking post on Facebook, announcing that the “Prince of Darkness” had died.
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love,” the post said.
‘Doesn’t take much to kill you’
In his 2021 interview with Variety, after saying, “I thought I’d be drinking to the day I die,” Osbourne admitted he was lucky to be alive: “I’m lucky. There’s nothing special about me. I should have been dead 1,000 times. I’m not being big-headed about that, or invincible. It doesn’t take much to kill you.”
Despite his notorious behavior, Ozzy Osbourne remains a pioneering figure in music history. As the voice behind Black Sabbath and a successful solo artist, his influence on rock and metal is immeasurable.
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