“Someone said, ‘Grief is the price of Love.’ I say that to myself every day but at the end of the day I just miss my friend so much”: Ozzy Osbourne collaborator Andrew Watt opens up on the Black Sabbath legend’s passing

As super producer Andrew Watt himself revealed in a recent Guitar World interview, "He [Ozzy Osbourne] and Sharon were the first ones to believe I could make them a great rock album.”

While they were more recent collaborators, Watt and Osbourne have been crucial to each other's careers over the past couple of years – a relationship that bore a friendship as well as two highly acclaimed records: 2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9.

Now, Watt is sharing his first public thoughts on Ozzy's passing in a heartfelt social media statement. “Still processing saying goodbye to @ozzyosbourne,” he writes on Instagram, alongside several personal videos and photos of the Prince of Darkness.

“Someone said ‘Grief is the price of Love.’ I say that to myself everyday but at the end of the day I just miss my friend so much. There is a new hole in my heart, something I will learn to live with…The music is obvious…how lucky I was to share in a little of Ozzy’s magic, but the friendship was the greatest gift of all…I will miss laughing with you forever Boss… Do you want a kick in the balls?”

While Watt had a successful career as a music producer for the who's who of the pop world, it was Ozzy who first entrusted him with a rock album, an opportunity that opened up a multitude of doors for him, including working with Pearl Jam, the Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop, and even Paul McCartney.

“Ozzy and I have a connection that’s unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced,” he told Guitar World in June.

“We made some music together that we really love, and we’ll continue making music together forever. More importantly than that, we talk every day and we’re really close friends.”

Watt recently participated in Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne's final show – Back to the Beginning – where he played alongside Steven Tyler, Ron Wood, Nuno Bettencourt, Tom Morello, Rudy Sarzo, Travis Barker, and Chad Smith.