Wild rocker turned TV's reality dad

OZZY OSBOURNE showed his mettle throughout a troubled life that swung between triumph and tragedy. The Black Sabbath frontman became known as the godfather of heavy metal and sold 75 million records worldwide.

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But fame and fortune took their toll on the unlikely reality TV star, and he admitted abusing first wife Thelma Riley and trying to strangle second wife Sharon in the grip of alcohol and drug addiction.

The rocker's antics — including biting the head off a bat on stage — made the headlines but it was trauma from his early life that charted a pathway to his dark side.

Born John Michael Osbourne in Aston, the lead singer was raised by parents Lilian and John, with three older sisters and two younger brothers in a two-bedroom home in Birmingham. Times were hard and some of the rock legend's earliest memories were of his parents' constant arguments about money.