Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., who served as Ozzy Osbourne‘s guitarist for seven years, recently looked back on his time with the Black Sabbath legend, describing the period as transformative and his former boss’s passing as “shocking.”
In a new interview with Germany’s Rock Antenne, Gus (real name Kostas Karamitroudis) spoke fondly of his experience being brought into the Osbourne family fold.
“I really have nothing bad to say about these people. They treated me so nice for the time that I was there with them,” Gus said. “When you’re there, it’s like you’re kind of part of the family as well. So, yeah, it was only good times. A lot of laughs.”
He specifically recalled the “insane” humor of Ozzy and his “British guys from the ’60 and ’70s.”
“Same with Ozzy, [he was] that character, that crazy character that everybody has seen from television and stuff,” he said. “But, yeah, it was just nice to be like a fly on the wall, hear these guys tell their stories… for me it was some of the best years of my life.”
This close, positive experience made the news of Ozzy‘s death in July—just two weeks after his final “Back To The Beginning” farewell concert in Birmingham—a difficult blow.
“It hit me hard, man. It was shocking. I didn’t expect it,” Gus shared. “I knew he was very sick and all that stuff. But especially two weeks after he did his big farewell show… I think it shocked everybody, ’cause they saw him on stage, like, 10 days before he passed. And he was there, he was in good spirits and everything.”
Gus clarified that while he and Ozzy were not in close contact after he left the band, the singer’s impact on his life and career is permanent and profound.
“Anyhow, but for me, it was a really tough pill to swallow,” he said. “It’s not like we were in touch and we were friends or whatever. But he’s such a big figure in my musical career and in my life. I feel like there’s my life pre-Ozzy and post-Ozzy. So it has been such a big transformation for me… So I’ll miss him, of course, like everybody else.”
This sentiment mirrors the immediate tribute Gus G. posted on the day of Ozzy’s passing.
“Dear Ozzy – Thank you for everything you’ve done for me — the advice, the precious memories and for the music,” he wrote at the time. “You changed my life forever and I’ll never forget that. As a guitar player, it was the highest honor in my career to record an album and tour the world with you for 7 years. My condolences to the family.”
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