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Horns are being raised the world over for the loss of John Michael ‘Ozzy’ Osbourne, a founder and lead vocalist of rock legends Black Sabbath and the godfather of heavy metal. The singer passed away following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, surrounded by family at the age of 76. The shocking news came 17 days after taking the stage in Birmingham, England, for ‘Back to the Beginning’. The benefit concert, which ran over 10 hours and featured performances by rock heavyweights like Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Tool, Pantera, Alice In Chains, and many, many more, raised over 140 million pounds for children’s hospices and research into Parkinson’s disease.
(R) Ozzy at his last show Image Credits: @ozzyosbourne/Instagram
Ozzy's Italian Curry
Though the music world is in mourning, Ozzy is leaving with one of the most prolific legacies in rock history, having pioneered heavy metal and a colourful persona both on and off the stage, including his most infamous moment, unsuspectingly biting the head off a live bat. While a large chunk of his youth was fuelled by substances of the less legal nature, there was one that he craved that we can all share in, curry. So strong is his love for it that not even the refined surroundings of London’s exclusive Italian restaurant, Cipriani, could deter him.
While dining with wife Sharon and her X Factor colleague Louis Walsh, Ozzy was handed a menu full of elegant Italian favourites. However, the Oz wasn’t having it and instead requested a curry. No pasta. No risotto. Just curry. Despite polite attempts by staff and companions to steer him towards the Italian offerings, Ozzy stood firm. “I want a curry,” he said. And said again. And again. Eventually, in a move that would impress even the most seasoned of curry aficionados, a staff member dashed off to a nearby Indian takeaway in Mayfair and returned, triumphantly, with Ozzy’s meal. To maintain appearances, the curry was served on Cipriani-branded plates – a delightful touch of class for what was essentially a takeaway Chicken Madras. Ozzy was thrilled. Sharon and Louis, perhaps less so.
Darjeeling, one of Birmingham's oldest curry houses. Image Credits: The Knights of the Raj
The Legacy Of Birmingham's Curry Houses
Being born in Marsten Green, a small town outside Birmingham, it’s not too much of a stretch to see where his ties to curry come from. Birmingham's reputation as Britain's curry capital is based on a rich history dating back to the 1940s. The city's love affair with Indian cuisine began when Abdul Aziz, one of the first Bangladeshi immigrants, opened The Darjeeling on Steelhouse Lane in 1945, serving curry and rice to everyone from local police officers, barristers, and solicitors to pub-goers on the way home.
The Bangladeshi community became an unspoken backbone of Birmingham's restaurant scene, bringing authentic flavours from across the subcontinent whilst adapting recipes to suit British palates. Facing decades of challenges and handing on their recipes through generations they established the city's enduring reputation for exceptional curry, even giving rise to phall, which is now considered the hottest curry in the world.
The 1970s witnessed the birth of the balti, created by the Pakistani and Kashmiri communities who blended traditional spices with local preferences. This iconic dish became synonymous with Birmingham dining culture and gave rise to the famous Balti Triangle, encompassing Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath, and Moseley, emerged as the heart of this culinary revolution.
Image Credits: prospect.la/Instagram
Ozzy Osbourne's Curry Recipe
But beyond being a consumer of many a curry, he reportedly had his own signature one too. In 1988, Robin Le Mesurier, a guitarist and rocker in his own right along with Peggy Sue Honeyman Scott, took on the challenge of compiling a cookbook called Rock N' Roll Cuisine, which is exactly as epic as it sounds.
The book featured a compilation of recipes from musicians spanning the full gamut from AC/DC to Zappa, Frank, most often with the recipes penned on paper in their own hand and scanned into the compendium. Ozzy’s contribution you ask? Chicken curry. Albeit with his own…unique touch. The recipe as listed includes Ozzy’s is ‘One (skinned) chicken, apples, onion, a jar of curry powder, stock, a can of fruit of your choice (i.e. peaches or pineapple), lemon juice, and a vegetable over rice.’ Though it’s fascinating that this is out there in the world, it's definitely an exotic bunch of ingredients to pull out for a curry.
Image Credits: WikiCommons
A Man Of Many Masteries
Ozzy was a man who knew what he liked. “I’ll find a food I like to eat and then eat it until I’m sick of it.” Ozzy once said in a conversation with his close friend, British guitarist Billy Morrison, on his podcast "The Madhouse Chronicles". “When I go to a restaurant, I need to know what I’m getting.” And it seems like curry was among the singer's safe foods. Both also agreed they had a special love for Bombay Palace, with Ozzy claiming his go-to there was Chicken Madras. He admits that Vindaloo is too spicy for his taste.
When Ozzy wasn’t chowing down on a local curry, he was also a big burrito fan, his favourites being from Chipotle, where he received the restaurant’s first Celebrity Card according to Forbes Magazine. True to his own curry recipe he’s also confirmed his love for Pink Lady apples, with his daughter Kelly once revealing on the family’s podcast that "He'll pound like 30 apples a day.” It seems like the rocker’s taste was nothing if not diverse, though he has gone on record repeatedly to say that his preferred menu does not include bats – live or otherwise.
Ozzy's legacy spans decades, from founding Black Sabbath at 19 alongside Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, to his final moments on stage just weeks ago. The man was an absolute legend who helped birth heavy metal and remained its most recognisable face for over half a century. His influence on rock music is immeasurable - from those groundbreaking early Sabbath albums that defined an entire genre to his wildly successful solo career that brought metal to the masses. So whilst you're blasting through Sabbath's discography tonight, raise a glass (or spoon of chicken curry) to the Prince of Darkness. Rock will never see another like him.
