Ozzy Osbourne’s exit from Black Sabbath on April 27, 1979, sent shockwaves through the rock world. Fans couldn’t imagine the band without its iconic lead singer, nor could they picture Ozzy without the group that launched his career. The story of “Why Ozzy Left Black Sabbath” reveals how his soaring success and personal struggles led to his firing. It highlights the drug issues, broken trust, and band conflicts that ended their 11-year partnership.
By the late 1970s, Black Sabbath had sold over 70 million records globally, including 15 million in the U.S. They were celebrated as one of the greatest metal bands ever. However, behind the scenes, the band was falling apart. In late 1977 and into 1978, they spent five months in a Toronto studio recording “Never Say Die!” Those sessions were plagued by heavy drug use. Guitarist Tony Iommi later admitted that the constant haze made it hard to get good takes. Tensions rose as Iommi pushed Ozzy for endless vocal rewrites, leading to a brief walkout from Ozzy and nearly losing his spot to Dave Walker. Ozzy later called the album “the worst piece of work.” Meanwhile, opening act Van Halen consistently outperformed them on tour, further damaging their confidence.
The band’s drug problems extended beyond the studio. During the 1972 “Vol. 4” sessions, they spent more on cocaine than the album’s recording cost. Ozzy’s substance abuse spiraled out of control, involving alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and more. This chaos made Ozzy less reliable, especially in Iommi’s eyes.
A turning point came on November 9, 1978, when Ozzy disappeared after a night of partying with Van Halen’s David Lee Roth. He ended up in the wrong hotel room, causing a canceled show and further eroding trust within the band.
The final straw came when drummer Bill Ward, without full band agreement, decided to fire Ozzy. Iommi later confirmed that Ward acted in a straightforward manner, marking the end of an era for Black Sabbath.
