Ozzy Osbourne’s private family funeral was marked by moments of both darkness and levity, according to Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo. Trujillo, who played in Osbourne’s solo band from 1996 to 2003, shared his experience on SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk” on Friday, describing the laughter and tears at the July 30 funeral for the heavy metal icon. Osbourne passed away from a heart attack on July 22 at age 76, shortly after his final performance at the “Back to the Beginning” concert in Birmingham, England.
“It was a small group of people, but it was very, very beautiful,” Trujillo said. “In the end, the speeches were very sad, but some were pretty funny. There were a lot of tears.” He noted that Black Sabbath members spoke, with bassist Geezer Butler particularly emotional, breaking down into tears during his eulogy.
Trujillo described the changing weather during the service, noting that it rained initially, but the sun came out when Butler spoke, creating a “magical moment.” He also mentioned Kelly Osbourne’s tribute to her father, during which her lyrics were carried away by the wind, as if Ozzy was playfully interfering.
Despite the sadness, attendees found joy in sharing stories about Osbourne. “There was laughter, and ‘I remember this,’ ‘I remember that,"” Trujillo said. “It felt like there was closure.”
Metallica performed at the “Back to the Beginning” concert, covering Black Sabbath’s “Hole in the Sky” and “Johnny Blade,” along with their own songs. Other bands paying tribute included Slayer, Pantera, and Alice in Chains.
After their set, Sharon Osbourne invited Trujillo to visit Ozzy backstage. Trujillo recounted how he expressed his pride and gratitude to Osbourne, who in turn asked to see Metallica’s James Hetfield. Hetfield knelt and held Osbourne’s hand in a poignant moment that Trujillo described as a “passing of the torch.”
The private funeral took place at Ozzy and Sharon’s estate in Buckinghamshire, following a public procession through Birmingham.
