Kurt Cobain was a huge Ozzy Osbourne fan.
The late Nirvana frontman, who died aged 27 in 1994, pioneered the grunge music movement, in the same way Ozzy's group Black Sabbath brought metal to the masses. And now Kurt’s former bandmate Dave Grohl, who fronts the Foo Fighters, has revealed Black Sabbath had a huge influence on early Nirvana work.
“Kurt really liked Ozzy,” Dave told Mojo magazine. “Growing up in a town like Aberdeen (Washington) and hearing a band like Black Sabbath – it’s a sweet release. Suddenly there’s something outside your small-town world you can relate to when you can hear that in someone else’s music.
“The first Nirvana record, Bleach, which I don’t play on but I love, you listen to some of those songs and it’s a guitar line, a bass line, a vocal and thundering drums. There’s lot of Black Sabbath in that, for sure.”
Dave is also an Ozzy fan, and the pair has become friends over the years with Dave even penning some tracks for the British music icon.
During his rock hey day Ozzy was known for his hell raising ways, but Dave says behind all the bravado 68-year-old is a softie at heart.
“It’s fascinating that the singer of the band that’s known for being so dark and so evil could be so lovable,” Dave smiled. “When I think of Ozzy I think of the famous photo of him on a toilet with a cigarette in his hand, his pants around his ankles, having a drink and, on his bare knees, are tattoos of smiley faces. This is the man who sings Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
“Ozzy’s personality and charisma shine through the darkness.”
