If you were into rock and metal in the late '90s and early 2000s, you went to Ozzfest and you've got an insane story about it. The fest ran as a touring entity between 1996 and 2010, and then as a one-off thing between 2013 and 2018 (sometimes in conjunction with Knotfest). Ozzfest was notable not only featuring the biggest names in the rock and metal worlds during its touring days, but also for breaking smaller bands to much wider audiences.
So what the hell happened to one of the most beloved touring festivals? Money. According to Sharon Osbourne in the newest episode of The Osbournes Podcast, Ozzfest's demise had everything to do with finances.
"Yeah, it was a very weird beast because all the bands were our mates, but the managers were greedy and for some reason they thought that we were making billions on it and we weren't. We made a profit. But it was not like — we couldn't retire on it. And managers and agents wanted more and more and more, and it just wasn't cost effective anymore. We stopped, because it just wasn't cost effective."
Osbourne continued: "Years and years ago, one of the bands — it was the second Ozzfest we did, or the third — wouldn't go on stage until I agreed to give them 10,000 more dollars. And they were holding everything up, and I said, 'Of course, of course I'll give it you.'" Sharon's son Jack Osbourne asked who demanded the money, to which Sharon replied "Glenn Danzig." Jack was clearly not pleased and responded: "Why are you gonna protect that twat?"
Sharon clarified: "[I] didn't give them the money … They went on and played, and I went, 'Fuck you. You signed a contract, your agent agreed it, and you're just gouging.'"
For the record, there was also a digital Ozzfest in 2022 and it sucked.
