“Like Meeting Jesus Christ”: Ozzy Osbourne Reflects on His Life-Changing Encounter with Paul McCartney, the Beatle Who Shaped His Soul and Sound
Ozzy Osbourne has weathered a life unlike any other — from the gritty streets of Birmingham to the seismic stages of Black Sabbath, from biting the head off a bat to battling near-death experiences with defiance and dark humor. But amidst all the madness and mayhem, nothing prepared the Prince of Darkness for the day he came face-to-face with the man who changed everything for him: Paul McCartney.
In a rare moment of vulnerability, Ozzy described that meeting in words few would expect from rock’s wildest icon: “It was like meeting Jesus Christ.” For Ozzy, the Beatles weren’t just a band — they were the spark that ignited his belief in music, his escape from poverty, and his vision of something bigger than himself. Growing up in post-war Birmingham, life was harsh, joy was rare, and dreams were few. But when the Beatles exploded onto the scene, Ozzy’s world cracked open. Their sound, their style, their spirit gave him purpose. And Paul, the melodic architect behind so many of their songs, became an almost mythical figure to him.
When Ozzy finally met McCartney years later, it wasn’t just celebrity awe — it was the culmination of a lifelong reverence. Ozzy wasn’t meeting a peer in the music world; he was meeting his inspiration, the man who made him believe it was possible to rise above his circumstances through the power of music. “He was kind, humble, everything I hoped he’d be,” Ozzy would later share. “He didn’t have to be nice — but he was. That’s what floored me.”
The moment also marked a full-circle journey for Ozzy — from a teenage boy strumming along to Beatles records to a legend standing beside one of the men who shaped the very reason he ever picked up a microphone. It was more than fan meeting idol. It was a deeply emotional exchange between two titans of rock — one forged in harmony, the other in darkness — connected by the same fire that music ignites in the soul.
Even for someone like Ozzy, who’s seen it all and lived to tell the tale, meeting Paul McCartney wasn’t just a highlight — it was a spiritual moment, a testament to the way music, and the people behind it, can shape destiny.