Washington DC [US], July 27 : Johnny Depp joined rock icon Alice Cooper on stage at London's O2 Arena to pay tribute to iconic singer Ozzy Osbourne, reported People.
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne, the lead singer of British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, passed away at 76. He breathed his last on July 22, Tuesday, after a year-long struggle with Parkinson's disease.
Cooper surprised the crowd at London's O2 Arena with a special appearance from Depp, 62, as the group performed Black Sabbath's 1970 hit 'Paranoid'
Depp, who is Cooper's Hollywood Vampires bandmate, walked on stage with a guitar in hand halfway through 'Paranoid', reported People.
Cooper, wearing an Osbourne T-shirt, later lifted his fist in the air when the song ended, as shown in concert video footage posted on YouTube.
The performance was part of Cooper's sold-out London show with Judas Priest, which coincided with the release of The Revenge of Alice Cooper, the band's first new album in over 50 years.
The LP marks the band's first album of new material since 1973's Muscle of Love.
To commemorate the event, Depp stayed for one last song after the Osbourne tribute, performing "School's Out" alongside original band members Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith, and Michael Bruce.
Cooper and Depp have been longtime collaborators since 2012, when they formed the supergroup Hollywood Vampires with Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen. Their most recent studio album, Rise, was released in 2019, according to the outlet.
Cooper previously discussed Osbourne in an interview, stating that he had developed a "mutual respect" for him after years of collaborating and performing together.
"I was on my way to the stage when I heard about [his death]," Cooper said. "And I went, 'Oh, that's not right.' He just did this [show]. And I saw him. He was signing well. But when it finally hit, it was just one of those, 'Yeah.' Even though you know it's coming ... what a shock to the system," reported People.
"At the end of the show, I just said, 'Everybody, let's say goodnight to Ozzy. And everybody just [chanted], 'Ozzy, Ozzy.' He was a very beloved character in rock," continued the rocker, as per the outlet.
Cooper also called Osbourne a "lifer" in rock music during an appearance on The Scott Mills Breakfast Show, as per the outlet.
"There are certain guys who are lifers. The Stones, The Beatles that are still doing it," Cooper said. "And doing it amazingly well. And I just felt, 'I'm going to do this til' I can't do it.' And I think Ozzy was the same thing," reported People.
The news of Ozzy's demise was confirmed by his family via a statement.
The statement read, "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time."
Osbourne was also honoured by Yungblud, Elton John, Jason Momoa, Gene Simmons, and others following his death, as reported by People.
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