Ozzy's Black home

Rock legend takes his final bow

- BY JAMIE ROBERTS

THE Prince of Darkness, seated on a magnificent black throne, gripped his mic and roared: “Are you ready? Let the madness begin!”

And so Ozzy Osbourne kicked off his final gig last night in front of a stadium packed with adoring fans.

The 76-year-old has threatened retirement a number of times, but his declining health makes it feel like this one really was the end of an era.

Ozzy, who has Parkinson's, had to sit on the stage at Birmingham's Villa Park as he ran through five of his solo hits - including Mr Crowley and Crazy Train - before being joined by his bandmates from the original Black Sabbath lineup.