During a recent episode of ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’, Jack Osbourne alleged that his late grandfather, music manager Don Arden, once “threatened and firebombed” bands and even sent “hitmen” after his father, Ozzy Osbourne.
Arden, who managed acts including ‘Black Sabbath’, ‘ELO’ and ‘The Small Faces’, was notorious for his temper and ruthless business tactics. Jack described him as a “crook” and claimed Sharon Osbourne, his daughter, was his protégé: “He taught her everything, and he did all sorts of screwed up things… They would firebomb other record companies. That’s why my grandfather knew about the Krays.”
Jack added that Sharon discovered Arden had been stealing money from bands. After she took over Ozzy’s management, the acts had to pay Arden roughly a million dollars to break contracts. Arden later reconciled with Sharon in 2002 after developing Alzheimer’s.
Jack, who met his grandfather only as a teenager, also spoke about his father Ozzy’s music tastes, revealing he loved ’80s pop and had considered recording a duets album with female vocalists.
Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22 at the age of 76, just over two weeks after performing his final show with Black Sabbath. His funeral in the UK was attended by Elton John, members of Metallica and thousands of fans lining the procession route in Birmingham.
