Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp have performed a cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’ in honour of Ozzy Osbourne, joining a growing list of artists paying tribute to the late icon.
The performance took place at Cooper’s London show at the O2 Arena on Friday 25 July, just days after Osbourne’s death was announced. Depp walked on stage partway through the song, guitar in hand, as Cooper and his band kicked off the Sabbath classic. The crowd immediately responded, recognising both the track and the very clear sentiment behind it.
Cooper had already dedicated an earlier show in Cardiff to Osbourne, and on Friday he made the tribute more direct, performing in an Ozzy t-shirt and closing the set with a cover of ‘Crazy Train’ after playing his own track ‘School’s Out’ with Depp.
The moment was simple and raw, a nod from one veteran showman to another. Speaking earlier in the week, Cooper described Osbourne as “an unmatched showman and cultural icon,” adding that “the whole world is mourning Ozzy tonight.”
You can watch the performance below:
Their performance follows a wave of tributes from across the music world. Since Osbourne’s death, artists including Metallica, Oasis, Elton John, Tom Morello and Ghost have all honoured him on stage or online. His final public performance, part of Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning show in Birmingham on 5 July, was streamed live and is already being seen as a landmark moment in rock history.
That night saw Osbourne reunite with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward one last time. The show raised close to £200 million for charity and is now set for a global cinema release next year.
As fans continue to share memories, tributes and old footage, Cooper and Depp’s version of ‘Paranoid’ stands out not just for its star power but also for its timing. A quick, unpolished, heartfelt salute to someone who changed the shape of heavy music, and gave permission to generations of misfits to be loud, strange and completely themselves.
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