Ozzie Osbourne’s Pre-Fame Job Was Gross — ‘ I Did Nothing But Throw Up’
Ozzy Osbourne is a singer, songwriter, and television personality, better known to his legions of fans as the “Prince of Darkness.” A force to be reckoned with in the music industry for four decades, Osbourne is well known for his legendary excesses, as well as his highly-publicized stint on reality television.
These days, Osbourne is still involved in music, although the COVID-19 pandemic has sidelined any touring plans. Osbourne, who was raised in a working-class home, hasn’t always been well off — in fact, one of his earliest jobs was one that caused him a serious amount of nausea and stomach distress.
When was Ozzy Osbourne born?
Osbourne was born in England in 1948. His father worked as a toolmaker, and young Osbourne, along with his older siblings, was raised in a modest home.
Osbourne had a notoriously difficult time in school, and struggled with dyslexia, according to Biography. Partially as a result of his problems in school, he dropped out of school when he was sixteen years old, entering the workforce.
Osbourne worked a variety of odd jobs in the years after he left school, including as a trainee plumber, construction site worker, and apprentice toolmaker, attempting to master the same trade as his father. One of Osbourne’s most shocking jobs, however, was one that the rocker later admitted grossed him out a great deal.
What was Ozzy Osbourne’s gross pre-fame job?
Long before Osbourne was lighting up concert venues, he was working in an English slaughterhouse. Osbourne later revealed in his memoir that his job at the slaughterhouse was to cut open and empty the stomachs of dead sheep. “For the first two or three weeks, I did nothing but throw up,” the rocker recalled, reports The Telegraph. “The smell was just unbelievable.”
Osbourne didn’t work at the slaughterhouse for very long. He was reportedly involved in some petty crimes when he was just a teenager and ended up spending a short time in prison.
Still, Osbourne was ultimately able to turn his life around when he became a fan of the music of The Beatles, determining to become a musician. In the late ’60s, Osbourne joined the newly-formed group Rare Breed as a vocalist. The band ultimately broke up, paving the way for Osbourne to join the band Black Sabbath in 1969.
Ozzy Osbourne is one of the world’s most iconic rockers
As a member of Black Sabbath, Osbourne rose to fame rather quickly. Black Sabbath, a controversial band from the start, made headlines frequently for their outrageous stage performances and their head-banging songs — and at the forefront of it all was Osbourne, who never shied away from a daring deed or a public stunt.
In 1979, at the height of Black Sabbath’s popularity, Osbourne was fired from the band that he helped make famous, allegedly due to his constant drug use. Still, he was able to carve out a very successful solo career, releasing multiple hit albums.
In 1997, Osbourne rejoined Black Sabbath, and the reunited band toured the world, making new fans wherever they went. As for Osbourne, his drug use and alcohol intake have done nothing to dim his popularity with his fanbase, and to this day, he remains a relevant, entertaining rocker.
His longtime marriage to his wife, Sharon Osbourne, even serves as an inspiration to many, proving that sometimes, years of scandal can have no effect on true love.
