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My name is Shawn. I am a music producer & photographer with a background in software engineering writing to you from sunny Tampa, Florida.

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Feature Story

Remembering the Prince of Darkness

July 22nd, 2025 will forever be a solemn day in our universal timeline. Yesterday, we lost one of the most important musicians to ever walk this earth.

The Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne.

Initially, I was going to write about a completely different topic, but it didn’t sit right with me not to write a tribute piece to the Ozzman, because without him, this newsletter doesn’t exist, and neither does my evolution as a musician, guitar player, heavy metal fan, or producer.

Everything Ozzy touched turned to black gold. Black Sabbath pioneered the evolution of what was possible in rock n roll for half a century. His iconic voice mixed with incredible songwriting and showmanship propelled his career into the stratosphere — but it was his aura, energy, and dedication to his craft that etched his legacy into the stone of eternity.

Ozzy lived and breathed music, but not like many say they “love music”. He lived and breathed it, celebrating the artists of yesterday and embracing the ones of tomorrow. Ozzy Osbourne was the epitome of what it means to truly, truly love music in its purest form.

As I sit here sipping on a cup of cold-brew and listening to Vol. 4 (my favorite Sabbath record), I’m reflecting on & showing gratitude to what the Prince of Darkness meant to me in my musical journey:

  • Zakk Wylde was the reason I picked up a guitar as a young kid.

  • Crazy Train was the first guitar solo I’d ever learned as a young guitar player.

  • Although I didn’t understand it at the time, Black Sabbath’s catalog would serve me as an adult music fan & music producer.

  • Children of the Grave will forever be one of my favorite metal songs of all time. Side note, listen to Lamb of God’s cover.

  • Listening to Blizzard of Ozz lead me to discover Quiet Riot!, and a whole slew of hair bands from the 80’s like Ratt & Dokken.

  • Ozzfest turned me on to so many other cool bands growing up, including Slipknot, Lamb of God, Rob Zombie/White Zombie, Black Label Society, and more.

I owe much of who I am as a musician to Ozzy. I am the musician & producer that I am today because of his influence — directly & indirectly.

Watching his last show, with his band, was not only a full circle moment, but a bright and shining light that the world desperately needed. Living proof that love triumphs pain, love triumphs illness,

… love triumphs all.

Take a look at the pictures from that day and try to tell me otherwise.

The rock & metal community will dearly miss Ozzy. As we journey into the void to a world without the Prince of Darkness, let’s celebrate the incredible things that he achieved, and more importantly, gave back to music.

Thank you Ozzy. May you rest in power, give Randy Rhoads and Ronnie James Dio our best.

“All my life I've been over the top

I don't know what I'm doing

All I know is I don't wanna stop

All fired up, I'm gonna go till I drop

You're either in or in the way

Don't make me, I don't wanna stop”

Ozzy Osbourne, “I Don’t Wanna Stop”

Heavy fucking metal.

Paps.

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