Ozzy Osbourne's Final Resting Place: A Bat Box Tribute
Ozzy Osbourne's Final Resting Place: A Cheeky Nod to His Infamous Bat-Biting Incident
The world of rock 'n' roll has lost one of its most iconic figures, Ozzy Osbourne, but his burial site is giving fans a reason to smile. The Prince of Darkness was laid to rest on the grounds of his mansion in Buckinghamshire, England, just a stone's throw away from multiple bat boxes - man-made structures designed to provide shelter for these winged creatures.
But what makes this location even more ironic? Ozzy had installed the bat boxes on his property in 2022, reportedly as an attempt to make amends for his infamous bat-biting incident back in 1982. The singer was slammed by animal rights activists after he ripped the head off a bat with his teeth live on stage, which he later claimed he thought was fake. But was it really?
A source close to Ozzy's family told thescholarlynote.com that the irony of him being buried near the bat boxes did not go unnoticed amongst his loved ones. "The subject of the bat boxes has prompted some real laughter and joy - something for sure Oz would approve of," they said. "You can't even make it up! He's spent decades being caught up in this drama around bats and animal rights groups, and then he ends up at his final resting place in a space used to help encourage bats thrive in the UK countryside."
It seems that Ozzy had a wicked sense of humor about his own legacy. In 2020, he confessed to thescholarlynote.com that he was worried the bat-biting incident would become part of his epitaph. "It's not the way I want to be remembered," he said, "but I know I'll be the man who bit the head off a bat." And it looks like his family is laughing all the way to the grave.
Ozzy and his wife Sharon Osbourne purchased their 250-acre estate, Welders House, in 1993. According to insiders, it was a place where they could escape from the showbiz world and focus on family during the height of Ozzy's career. "It was where he and Sharon escaped from the chaos of fame in the 1990s and 2000s," said the source. "Once again, it showed how despite all his amazing rock 'n' roll success and celebrity, in his heart, he was always a family man."
The Osbourne's mansion has undergone significant renovations since Ozzy's Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2020. The couple had planned to move back to Welders House permanently after years of splitting their time between Los Angeles and England. However, Ozzy's battle with Parkinson's and a crippling fall that exacerbated his old quad bike injury may have delayed their return.
The incident that sparked the bat-biting controversy was during a Black Sabbath show in January 1982, when a fan hurled a live bat on stage, which Ozzy promptly bit off. The question of whether the creature was alive or not has been debated for decades. Mark Neal, who claims to have thrown the bat, insists it was dead, while Ozzy swears it was a living, breathing creature that needed a rabies shot.
The aftermath of the incident left Ozzy traumatized, and he has spoken publicly about the psychological impact it had on him. Despite his attempts to downplay the incident, it remains one of the most infamous moments in rock 'n' roll history.
As fans continue to mourn the loss of the Prince of Darkness, they can't help but chuckle at the cheeky nod to his infamous bat-biting incident. "It's like Ozzy had the last laugh," said the insider. And who knows? Maybe he did.
