There are few artists out there who have ever had careers at such a consistent level as Ozzy Osbourne had. From the early days of Black Sabbath through to his freewheeling solo work and beyond, every twist and turn was met with curiosity, acclaim and adoration, all the way to the very end. And such a constant state still seems to inspire, even in his absence, as his son Jack has brought up a sentiment that has kept him going through every iteration of his journey.
During a conversation with Spandau Ballet's Martin Kemp, rapper Aitch and TV personality Tom Read Wilson on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!, a competition Jack is currently taking part in, the subject turned to the main goal when pursuing a career in the arts. When asked whether the target is still, after all these years, to achieve a No.01 in the charts, be it a single or an album, Aitch explained that there are odd artists who have never been the biggest sellers, but they have been consistent.
Jack then added, "It was the same with my Dad. He was never considered always a top 10 selling artist, but he had the consistency with his fanbase. A loyal fanbase, too. Once you get that loyal fanbase, it’s everything."
He continues, turning his attention more to how Ozzy approached the expectations that may have been placed on him and whether what he worked on would be accepted. "He would always say, ‘I don’t care if they are laughing at me or with me, as long as they’re laughing. I don’t care how they are having a good time, as long as they are having a good time.”
It's a sentiment that feels incredibly Ozzy, and one that, in his absence, now feels even more apt, as his music continues to live on and take on new life.
Jack previously spoke about the shock of his Dad's passing whilst in the jungle, stating, "We knew he was sick for a while, but it was definitely a shock. It was like… we didn’t think it’d be that quick. It was the ultimate mic drop: do a massive, big gig and then was like, ‘Alright, I’m done."
He also hinted at how Ozzy would have reacted to finding out that he would be spending three weeks in the Australian Open for such a TV show, adding, “He’s looking at me, being like, ‘What the [fuck] are you doing?’ He’d be so supportive of this. The whole family was. They were like, ‘Absolutely, go do it.’”
I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! continues tonight (December 3rd) at 9pm on ITV1 on or demand on streaming on ITVX, before concluding on Sunday (December 7th).
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