The metal world is still mourning the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away this past July, but his friends and peers are keeping his spirit alive with stories that only the Prince of Darkness could inspire. In the latest issue of Metal Hammer, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford opened up about his lifelong friendship with the Black Sabbath icon, sharing a particularly wild memory from the recording sessions of 1988’s Ram It Down.
According to Halford, a simple studio visit turned into a logistical nightmare followed by a night of pure rock and roll debauchery. It began with Osbourne making a rather specific demand before agreeing to stop by.
“Ozzy dropped us a message: ‘Can I come check it out? But I’ll only come if you build a helicopter pad,’” Halford recalled. “The guy who owned the studio built it!”
Once the helicopter touched down, the atmosphere shifted from serious to chaotic. Halford described a scene where Osbourne and Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton bonded over excess, eventually commandeering a hot tub.
“Eventually, he ended up in a hot tub with some local girls and Glenn,” Halford said. “Glenn and Ozzy were tighter than anybody. They were up all night, so I remember sticking my head round the corner at one in the morning, and they were both sprawled out in their birthday suits, bottles all over the place… it was a scene!”
Beyond the partying, Halford emphasized the deep humanity behind the larger-than-life persona. Having met in the late 60s at Henry’s Bluehouse in Birmingham, the two shared a bond rooted in their shared hometown and working-class origins.
“We toured with him a few times over the years, and something just happened when he was about to go on – he became Ozzy Osbourne,” Halford reflected. “But then, Ozzy was always Ozzy in a way. I think that’s what we all love about him. There was nobody more genuine, loving and caring than Ozzy Osbourne. You hear, ‘Don’t meet your heroes.’ Ozzy was nothing like that – a pure magic bloke who never forgot his roots in Birmingham. He would give you the shirt off his back.”
Osbourne died on July 22 at the age of 76, just weeks after his massive “Back To The Beginning” retirement concert at Villa Park. While Judas Priest was unable to perform at that specific event due to a scheduling conflict with the Scorpions‘ 60th-anniversary celebration in Germany, the band honored him in their own way. In July, they released a cover of Black Sabbath‘s “War Pigs,” followed by a special version in September featuring posthumous vocals from Osbourne himself to benefit charity.
Judas Priest continues to carry the heavy metal torch on the road.
Judas Priest 2026 European Tour Dates:
- July 26 – Neu-Ulm, Germany @ Wileysportpark
- July 28 – Warsaw, Poland @ Torwar
- August 02 – Ostrava, Czech Republic @ Ostrava Arena
- August 04 – Bratislava, Slovakia @ Nepala Arena
- August 06 – Halle, Germany @ Messehalle
- August 12 – Tilburg, The Netherlands @ O13
- August 16 – Carhaix-Plouguer, France @ Motocultor Festival
- August 18 – Pamplona, Spain @ Navarra Arena
- August 20 – Valencia, Spain @ Roig Arena
- August 23 – Goarshausen, Germany @ Loreley Amphitheatre
