Gene Simmons was left “choked up” while paying tribute to Ozzy Osbourne after the musician’s death, aged 76.
Osbourne’s death has rocked the world of music, with tributes flooding in for the star who bid farewell to fans just three weeks ago at a Black Sabbath reunion show in his hometown of Birmingham.
Kiss frontman Simmons, 75, remembered the “Prince of Darkness”, with whom he had been friends since the 1970s, during an interview on BBC Breakfast.
Stumbling over his words, Simmons grew emotional while recalling their first encounter in Boston, calling Osbourne an “English gentleman” off stage in comparison to his “mad man” stage persona.
Apologising to BBC hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay, the rock star said: “Sorry, I got choked up. Sorry about that.”
He said there were “no airs” about Osbourne, adding: “Most of the fans will know Ozzy as the Prince of Darkness, and if you were lucky enough to meet Ozzy as a human being off stage, you’d be shocked because he treated people exactly the same way.
“It’s fair to say that there was never an Ozzy Osbourne before Ozzy, and there never will be another Ozzy. In science, they call it a singularity. He’s just a unique and lovable person.”
Simmons went on to say that his “heart goes out to” Osbourne’s s wife Sharon and his kids Jack, Kelly and Aimee – and grew emotional again when he said Osbourne would ask him about his own family whenever they ran into each other.
“I know that right now millions of fans around the world are crying and shocked and can’t believe it,” Simmons said, adding that he didn’t believe the news himself when he first heard it.
“It’s been such a sad day. It started this morning here in California with my phone ringing and the texts going off, and I thought it was just fake news,” he said. “Ozzy dead? I thought it was just psycho babble on TikTok, and soon enough I learned the tragic news.”
Black Sabbath and Kiss had a brief rivalry while touring together in 1974, but Simmons has long been vocal about his respect for the metal band.
“I've always loved and admired Black Sabbath and can proudly say the early days of touring together will be a lifelong memory,” he told MusicRadar in February 2025.
Osbourne’s death was announced in a statement by his family, who said: “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.”
His death comes weeks after he performed his farewell show with the original Sabbath founding members at their Back to the Beginning charity event in Birmingham, benefiting Acorns Children’s Hospice, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Cure Parkinson’s.
During the 10-hour show, fans saw performances from bands including Slayer, Tool, Gojira, Metallica, and Guns N’ Roses, while Osbourne himself performed some of his biggest solo hits from a black winged throne.
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