The world of music and beyond was devastated this week with the death of Ozzy Osbourne, just weeks after the icon's final show with Black Sabbath, where he also delivered his final solo set. The 'Back To The Beginning' charity concert where Ozzy took his final bow featured a long list of legendary artists, including Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, who zoomed in to talk with KROQ's Klein.Ally.Show on Wednesday about his experience in Birmingham and his memories of the Prince of Darkness.
LISTEN NOW: Billy Corgan with Klein.Ally.Show
When asked about talking with Osbourne during the final show, Corgan admits he waited, thinking he had another opportunity coming up soon. "I kinda let him be because there were so many people wanting to talk to him, and there were people he hadn't seen for years," shares Billy. "Sharon and I had been discussing ever since Sharon appeared in my podcast that I was gonna go over to their house in LA and interview Ozzy. So in my mind, I was like, 'I'm just gonna wait. I'm gonna have that conversation when I see him after this.'"
"I'd like to share one special moment though. I don't want to say who the other person is, it's somebody from a very famous, Alternative band, but when Black Sabbath soundchecked two nights before the actual concert, there was literally nobody in the arena at the stadium except security, and me and this person from another famous Alternative band. We were literally watching Black Sabbath soundcheck with Ozzy for the last time, and Ozzy saw us down there and did the famous Ozzy peace sign to both of us and smiled. That's the moment I'll always hold on to because it was in that private moment where it's just us and the band, basically. Both me and the other person, this is why I don't want to say who the person is, we both started crying, because we couldn't believe this magical dream of this band in our lives was coming to an end."
Corgan was just 8 years old when he first heard Black Sabbath from his uncle's record collection, and the moment struck him like a bolt of lightning. "I'm not saying anything if you're a Sabbath fan that sounds new, but when you're 8 years old and you have no context for that, it was so shocking and the feeling of them has never left me, and it's had such a huge influence on my music and my approach to music," reflects the frontman. "So, to be with them on that day was, it was like a magical dream and it's been such a high."
"It was the greatest musical event I think I've ever been a part of. It was so incredible. Everybody was on their best behavior. Everyone was playing their hearts out because there's so much love for Ozzy in the band, and I saw it. I mean, I saw it behind-the-scenes. I saw it when the cameras were on, and so to be coming off at high and then have somebody run in a room last night and say, 'oh my God, Ozzy just died.' It was like, 'Wait, the movie's not supposed to end like this.'"
To hear much more from Billy Corgan about his experience and memories with Ozzy and Sharon, check out the full conversation above.