Ozzy Osbourne: The Prince of Darkness and the Bassists Who Backed Him

Ozzy Osbourne changed the game. From the moment Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut dropped in 1970, his voice and presence reshaped rock into something darker, heavier, and more defiant. Alongside Tony Iommi’s crushing riffs, Bill Ward’s pounding drums, and Geezer Butler’s genre-defining bass work, Ozzy helped invent heavy metal as we know it. After parting ways with Sabbath in 1979, he launched a solo career with Blizzard of Ozz, a record that gave us “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” and a whole new era of hard rock that sounded completely his own.

Behind that sound was a rotating cast of bassists, each bringing their own weight to the mix. Bob Daisley laid the foundation on many early solo records and quietly co-wrote some of Ozzy’s biggest hits. Rudy Sarzo brought the stage fire in the early 1980s while Phil Soussan helped craft the hit “Shot in the Dark.” Mike Inez added his vibe in the early 1990s before moving on to Alice in Chains. Robert Trujillo stepped in before heading to Metallica. Rob Nicholson held it down for years as a trusted sideman and musical director. In Ozzy’s later years, Duff McKagan stepped in to cut tracks for Ordinary Man with that classic swagger.

On July 22, 2025, Ozzy passed away at the age of 76. Just weeks earlier he reunited with the original Sabbath lineup for one final show in Birmingham. It was a full circle moment that felt like a sendoff. He had been battling Parkinson’s and serious health issues for years but never stopped creating. Ozzy was many things. A pioneer. A showman. A survivor. But to us, he was also someone who understood the power of a great bassist. His records would not be the same without them.

Check out the Farewell Performance from Ozzy.