Photo credit: Scott Dudelson
When Ozzy Osbourne said he wasn’t ready to go anywhere, he meant it. Even in his final months, the Prince of Darkness was still writing, still reflecting, and still living by his own rules. Last Rites — out October 7 via Grand Central Publishing — is the legendary frontman’s last word: a brutally honest, funny, and surprisingly life-affirming look back at the chaos, triumph, and humanity behind one of rock’s most iconic lives.
Finished just days before his passing in July 2025, Last Rites captures Ozzy at his most vulnerable and unfiltered. The memoir follows the seven years leading up to his final public performance — the emotional “Back to the Beginning” concert in Birmingham — where he reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for one last bow.
Across its pages, Ozzy revisits everything from his marriage to Sharon to the health struggles that forced him off the road. But through it all, the humor, self-awareness, and raw grit that defined his five-decade career never fade.
“If I’d been clean and sober, I wouldn’t be Ozzy. If I’d done normal, sensible things, I wouldn’t be Ozzy,” he writes. “If it ends tomorrow, I can’t complain. I’ve done good… and I’ve done bad. But right now, I’m not ready to go anywhere.”
In a new Q&A, Ozzy’s son Jack Osbourne reflects on what it meant to see his father finish this final chapter.
“He was the most humble egomaniac you could ever meet,” Jack laughs. “He honestly didn’t think anyone would care about what he was writing. But this book — it’s him, through and through. Raw, real, and full of heart.”
Jack shares that Ozzy completed the last chapter just days before his death. “It’s been hard for the family to even read it,” he admits. “But he wanted fans to smile, laugh, and feel love — not sadness. That’s what Last Rites is about.”
From Birmingham to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, from Sabbath to solo stardom, Ozzy’s story has always been one of extremes — chaos and clarity, pain and redemption. Last Rites ties it all together, one final time, in his own unmistakable voice.
Last Rites is available October 7 from Grand Central Publishing.
Purchase the book HERE.
I’m Drew, the founder and editor of Front of the Stage. I have a strong love for music and photography, which started at a very young age. There’s just something I love about experiencing live music and capturing memories that will last a lifetime, and that’s how Front of the Stage came to be.
