Forty-three years ago, rockstar Ozzy Osbourne drunkenly urinated on the Alamo. What ensued afterward was a strained, decades-long relationship between the Grammy Award winner and the sacred Texas landmark — including an arrest, a 10-year ban, two apologies, a tenuous reconciliation, and, now, a tribute in light of Osbourne’s death.
“At the Alamo, we honor history in all its complexities,” the landmark wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. “We extend our condolences to his family, friends, and fans around the world. May he rest in peace.”
Not one to let things go, the Alamo also noted that its relationship with Osbourne “was marked initially by a deeply disrespectful incident in 1982.”
Osbourne, also known as the Prince of Darkness (or the man who once bit the head off a bat onstage), was in town for a concert in San Antonio that day. He was arrested after publicly urinating on the Alamo Cenotaph, a memorial honoring the heroes who defended the fort in 1836 — but made it to his concert on time after getting bailed out for $40.
Osbourne was then banned from performing in the city for 10 years, and was pardoned after later donating $10,000 to the group responsible for the landmark’s upkeep.
“This act profoundly and rightfully upset many who hold this site sacred,” the Alamo wrote on July 22.
It was “one of his lifetime goals,” The San Antonio Light reported at the time. Not to be confused with his main goal, though, which was to relieve himself on the White House steps (which he never accomplished).
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee died July 22, at age 76, five years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Often dubbed the “godfather of heavy metal,” he gained notoriety as the leading man of English rock band Black Sabbath before pivoting into the world of reality television.
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” his family wrote in a statement. “He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
