Know Your Trivia - Week of  7/28

Ozzy Osbourne

Heavy metal "Prince of Darkness." Hard-living showman. Lovable reality TV dad. Osbourne's life was a rock 'n' roll roller coaster. If you’ve ever headbanged, it’s because of this man. OZZY was always ahead of the curve! This musician was Trivia Host, Bill's absolute favorite!

Heavy metal star Ozzy Osbourne died at aged 76, just weeks after reuniting with his Black Sabbath bandmates and performing a huge farewell concert for fans.

Born John Michael Osbourne, he was nicknamed "Ozzy" by classmates and struggled with dyslexia from a young age.  He left school at 15 and worked various odd jobs including a slaughterhouse before finding his calling in music. A key moment was when he heard "She Loves You" by The Beatles, which inspired him to become a rock star. 

Osbourne co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968, a band widely credited with creating the heavy metal genre. After leaving Black Sabbath in 1979, Osbourne embarked on a successful solo career which spawned iconic tracks like "Crazy Train" and "Mama, I'm Coming Home".  He’s sold over 100 million records and is one of a handful of artists who has had top ten albums in last six decades. He's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame twice and won three Grammys.

Ozzy wasn't just a music god - his legendary DNA helped science evolve. In 2010, he was one of only a few hundred people in the world who have had their entire genetic code deciphered and analyzed.  The rock and roll legend’s genome showed he was genetically predisposed to hard partying.

For our KYT, please note you don't need to know any exacts of the following. This was just a fun fact about Ozzy!!

Ozzy Osbourne's genome sequencing revealed that he had a higher-than-average risk for alcohol and cocaine addiction. His DNA also showed a unique mutation in the gene that metabolizes alcohol, potentially explaining his high tolerance for it. Additionally, the analysis indicated Neanderthal ancestry and a possible link between

a specific gene and musical ability.  A gene called AVPR1A, associated with musical talent, was  found in Osbourne's genome. A unique COMT Gene combination possessed a rare combination of the "worrier" and "warrior" variants which is involved in regulating neurotransmitters like dopamine. The "warrior" variant is associated with better stress coping, while the "worrier" variant is linked to enhanced memory and attention. This unusual combination may have influenced his ability to navigate challenging situations and his stage persona.

"I don’t know what music would be like if it weren’t for the influence of Ozzy. Ozzy changed everything"

- Producer Rick Rubin



"It's impossible to put into words what Ozzy Osbourne has meant to Metallica," the band said in a statement on X. "Hero, icon, pioneer, inspiration, mentor, and, most of all, friend are a few that come to mind."