to be honest with you. I was just a stupid kid when I broke into Sarah Clarke’s; I was hardly the fucking night stalker. And I learned my lesson.
In 1965, the clothes I nicked were worth about twenty-five quid, and I thought that was all the money in the world. I never would have believed that forty years later I’d have two million pounds’ worth of stuff for someone to pinch—and enough left over to not really notice when it was gone. It’s ridiculous, really. My life should never have happened the way that it did. But, believe me, I’m grateful. Not a day goes by without me thinking about where I came from, and where I ended up, and how no one in their right fucking mind would have put a bet on it turning out that way.
Illustrations
The Boy Prince of Darkness.
With Mum and Dad. They put up with a lot.
My dad promised me long trousers for my sister Jean’s wedding. I got these fucking things instead.
Blame this on Jim Simpson. It was his idea to hold the ‘Big Fear Follies’—naked.
© Neil Preston/Corbis
Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and me, at Long Beach Arena. Dunno why we look so miserable—we were all as high as kites.
No, I’m not in the pub. I’m in the kitchen of ‘Atrocity Cottage’, which I’d made to look like a pub. That’s my oldest daughter, Jessica.
With Jess again and my son Louis.
© WireImage
Me, the lads from Black Sabbath and, err… a rubber chicken. In London. Wearing new clothes ’cos we’d just got a record deal.
© Michael Putland/Retna
Fresh faced. And pissed, probably.
Peace…
On stage with Tony.
…and love, man.
© Michael Putland/Retna UK
The lads from Aston made good. This was our ten-year anniversary. Unusually, we decided to get completely shitfaced for the occasion. Within a few months I’d be fired.
© Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images
Going solo. This was the Diary of a Madman tour line-up. From left to right: Rudy Sarzo, Randy Rhoads, me and Tommy Aldridge.
Randy Rhoads and Rachel Youngblood, posing next to the tour bus in America. God bless them both.
© Chris Talter/WireImage
On stage with Randy. This is how I remember him best.
© Jon Sievert/Getty Images
The greatest guitarist of his generation—and a man before his time.
Getting hitched in Maui, 1982. There were seven bottles of Hennessy in that cake—later, I passed out in the hotel corridor. Good job the marriage was already consummated.
© Preston/Retna UK
Fangs for the memories!
I was on so many drugs in 1983, I was on another planet. That must be why Aimee is wearing a space suit.
© David McGough/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
With my beautiful girls.
© London Features International
Harley Street has some great dentists.
© London Features International
A bad hair day—again. Promo shot for Bark at the Moon.
© Tony Mottram
Hitching a ride with Kelly.
With Sally, my pet donkey. She used to live with us at Outlands Cottage and watch the telly with me.
With Kelly and Aimee.
Before…
© Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis
…After
© London Features International
Getting a load off my mind.
I’d shaved my hair off to get out of doing the gig. Sharon sent me out anyway.
© Ron Galella/WireImage
After a grade-one bollocking from the missus.
© Rex Features
A postcard from Memphis.
Another quiet night in with Motley Crue.
On the QE2, bored out of my fucking mind. Sharon was pregnant with Jack so we couldn’t fly.
© Ann Clifford/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image
Back together for Live Aid in 1985—Bill, me, Geezer and Tony.
© David McGough/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
On stage at Live Aid with Tony.
© David McGough/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
I still had a drinking problem. I couldn’t find my mouth.
© Terry Smith/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
A rare picture of the full Osbourne clan.
This time, it was just a joke.
Me and Jack. At that age, his favourite thing to do was sit on my shoulders during encores.
© George Chin
Relaxing at home with Jack and Kelly—and the best friend I’ve ever had, Baldrick the bulldog.
© Joe Giron/Corbis
‘How many songs do I have left to sing?’ At Ozzfest in 1996.
© Christina Radish/Redferns/Getty ImagesM
After another kick up the arse from Tony.
© Mick Hutson/Redferns/Getty Images
Wish I still looked like this.
© Christina Radish/Redferns/Getty Images
‘I seem to have lost my watch. Can anyone see it up there?’
My sons were taught good manners from an early age. Me, Louis and Jack on my fiftieth birthday in 1998.
My beautiful daughters—Kelly, Jessica and Aimee.
© Mark LeialohaM
Warming up…
…and chilling out.
© Rex Features
A promo shot for
