BREAKING: Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain Pa...read more.

BREAKING: Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain Pa…read more.

The rock and metal world is still in mourning following the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, and now Iron Maiden’s longtime drummer Nicko McBrain has offered a deeply personal remembrance of the late Black Sabbath frontman. In an emotional conversation, McBrain revealed the final words Ozzy said to him a moment of brotherhood and honesty that has stayed with him since.

Ozzy Osbourne, the trailblazing vocalist who helped create heavy metal and redefined stage presence with Black Sabbath and his solo career, died earlier this week at the age of 76. While tributes have flooded in from around the world, McBrain known for his powerhouse drumming and warm spirit spoke not as a fellow musician, but as a close friend.

“Ozzy told me, just a couple days before he passed, ‘We’ll always be brothers, Nicko. Nothing can change that.’ And that was it. That was our last exchange,” McBrain said, his voice cracking. “I knew what he meant. He was saying goodbye, but he wanted it to feel like love like peace.”

The two rock legends had shared stages, festivals, and years of backstage camaraderie. Though they played in different bands, McBrain and Osbourne were part of the same generation of British metal that changed the world. Their friendship went beyond music it was rooted in mutual respect and countless memories.

“We had our laughs, our wild nights, and a lot of quiet moments too,” McBrain shared. “Ozzy was wild, yeah but he had the biggest heart. Always checking in, always cracking a joke when things got too serious.”

Though Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden often took different paths, McBrain said he always felt a deep connection to Ozzy not just through music, but through shared experience.

“We came up in the same trenches. Clubs, sweaty gigs, long tours. He was like a big brother to me in a lot of ways,” McBrain recalled. “He told me once, ‘We made this mess, so we’d better enjoy the madness.’ That was Ozzy’s way he found joy in the chaos.”

The last time McBrain saw Ozzy in person was at the farewell Sabbath concert just weeks ago a historic reunion of the original members for one final show. Though Iron Maiden wasn’t part of the lineup, McBrain was in the crowd, watching his friend give one last, thunderous performance.

“He gave everything he had,” McBrain said. “I knew he was in pain, but he powered through like the legend he was. Watching him up there, I had tears in my eyes. I knew, we all knew, this might be the last time.”

After the concert, the two shared a quiet moment backstage a rare pause in a night filled with noise and emotion.

“He pulled me aside, gave me this massive hug, and just said, ‘I love you, mate. We’ll always be brothers.’ Then he smiled, turned, and walked off into the dressing room. I didn’t know that would be the last time I’d see him, but I felt something shift.”

Since Ozzy’s passing, tributes have poured in from all corners of the music world. Artists from Metallica, Judas Priest, Ghost, and even pop icons have honored his influence and spirit. Fans across the globe are gathering in public spaces to light candles, play his music, and share memories of how his voice shaped their lives.

In Birmingham, outside the arena where Black Sabbath played their final show, fans have created a sprawling memorial of flowers, bat wings, old records, and hand-written notes. One sign simply reads: “Thanks for the madness, Ozzy. You saved us.”

Nicko McBrain hasn’t visited the site just yet he says he’s still coming to terms with the loss.

“I keep thinking I’ll get a text from him, something silly like, ‘Oi, are you still ugly?’ That’s the kind of relationship we had full of laughs and jabs, but it was real. The silence now… it’s heavy.”

Plans are underway for a public tribute show in Ozzy’s honor, with musicians from across generations expected to perform. McBrain says he’s already agreed to take part, and that he wouldn’t miss it for the world.

“We’ve lost more than a frontman,” McBrain said. “We’ve lost one of the last true rock spirits. But Ozzy’s not really gone, is he? He’s in every scream, every riff, every crowd chant.”

With a heavy heart, McBrain closed with the words that now echo in his mind every day.