Ozzy Osbourne Reacts to Eddie Van Halen’s Death: ‘See You on the Other Side’

In the hours since Eddie Van Halen’s death was announced by his son, the music industry has been in mourning. Numerous tributes have poured in across social media from many who knew the iconic guitarist, including former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hager and a slew of country music stars like Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban. Another in the rock industry who paid his respects to the late entertainer was Ozzy Osbourne.

The Prince of Darkness called Van Halen “one of the nicest guys” he ever met and worked with. In 1978, Osbourne toured with the band as the frontman for Black Sabbath. “His influence on music and especially the guitar has been immeasurable,” he continued in his tweet. The “Crazy Train” singer also referred to him as “an absolute legend” and concluded his message by writing, “Eddie, I’ll see you on the other side, my friend.”

In 2019, Osbourne’s guitarist, Zakk Wylde, shared in an interview with Ultimate Guitar that Van Halen “changed the world.” He credited not just his guitar playing but also the tone in which he delivered his sound and how he changed the views on amplifiers.

It’s been evident how impactful Van Halen, who in addition to his son, also leaves behind his wife, has been on the industry since the news came out about his passing. Hager, who replaced David Lee Roth as the band’s frontman from 1985 to 1996 and later for three years in the 2000s, shared a photo of the two on Twitter, “Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family.” Urban, who is considered one of the best guitarists in Nashville, also paid his respects to the lasting impact his guitar-playing had on those before him, calling him a “master” at his craft.

The news was first shared Tuesday afternoon by Wolfgang Van Halen, who is the youngest member of the band and the late rocker’s only son. Wolfgang wrote that his “heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.” He also applauded him for being the “best father” he could have asked for.