Ozzy Osbourne on his struggles with substance abuse: “I should have been dead a thousand times”
Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has been reflecting on his life, stating that all his “drinking partners” are “fucking dead”.
The singer is known for his rock and roll past, which developed into a long-term struggle with substance abuse, with the musician dabbling with alcohol, cocaine, LSD, and more. Questioning how he is still standing, Osbourne told Rolling Stone, “I should have been dead before loads of them.”
“Why am I the last man standing? Sometimes I look in the mirror and go, ‘Why the fuck did you make it?'” Explaining that he has been “doing a lot of reflection while I’ve been laid up,” Osbourne came to the conclusion that many of his close friends, such as Lemmy Klimister, whom he used to drink with, have passed away.
He added: “I should have been dead a thousand times. I’ve had my stomach pumped God knows how many times.”
Osbourne’s health has rapidly declined in recent years, although he is still hoping to record one more album if he can. He has been facing Parkinson’s disease since 2003, only revealing his diagnosis three years ago.
Additionally, he has recently undergone significant surgeries following a fall, which misaligned the metal rods he had inserted in his back and neck after a previous quad biking accident.
In a recent interview, his wife, Sharon, revealed, “It’s just been heartbreaking for me to see my husband in a position where he’s not self-sufficient; he needs help. He was so vibrant, with such a zest for life. But you learn to adapt”.
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