Alice Cooper welcomed actor Johnny Depp to his show at the O2 Arena in London last Friday, the 25th, for a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne .
Alice Cooper, alongside his bandmate from Hollywood Vampires, played the Black Sabbath to the packed arena, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The moment became a landmark in rock history when original Alice Cooper band members Dennis Dunaway , Neal Smith, and Michael Bruce joined them to continue the show. The group launched into an intense and emotional performance of "School's Out"—accompanied by Alice Cooper's current band and Depp.
Alice Cooper and his band received the news of Ozzy's death minutes before their performance in Cardiff, Wales. Before going on stage, Alice recorded the following quote for his radio show Alice's Attic [transcription via Blabbermouth ]: “Well, we all know that time will take its toll, rockers, but when giants fall, it’s very hard to accept. Even though everyone predicted this with Ozzy, we were breathless when it happened. So, Ozzy and family, your records, your music, your legend and everything you brought — the humor to the rock industry — will live on forever and we will miss you, mate.”
Alice and her band dedicated Tuesday's show to Ozzy's memory and were able to celebrate along with the audience, who had also just learned of this great loss.
The untimely death of Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal icon and vocalist for Black Sabbath, died last Tuesday, July 22nd, at the age of 76. The family has not released the cause of death, although Osbourne had faced several health problems in recent years.
The news was confirmed via a statement from the Osbourne family [via The Guardian ]:
"It is with greater sadness than words can express that we have to inform you that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis."
His death occurred less than three weeks after his retirement from the stage, when Ozzy participated in Black Sabbath 's farewell show . Approximately 40,000 people attended the event, with 5.8 million people watching the show online.
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