As the world comes to grips with the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, tributes have poured in from fans, fellow musicians, and those who had the rare honor of sharing a stage with him. Among them is his longtime drummer Tommy Clufetos, who played alongside the legendary frontman for over 15 years. In a heartfelt interview with iHeartRadio's Doug Podell, Clufetos shared his personal memories and admiration for the man he calls a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

During the conversation, Clufetos talks about playing Ozzy's last show at the "Back To The Beginning Festival," playing with Ozzy Osbourne one last time and what it was like to be backstage with Ozzy at his final concert — just weeks before his death.

“When you lose a guy like Ozzy Osbourne, which it never happens, it's a shock to everybody, and it's been a shock to everybody around the world,” Clufetos said. “And you can see in the responses, he deserves the ovation that he's getting.”

Clufetos' words speak to the global wave of grief and celebration that has followed Ozzy's passing. From his days with Black Sabbath to his solo career, Ozzy Osbourne wasn't just a rock star—he was a force of nature. And for Clufetos, every moment spent with him was electric.

“I was one of the few fortunate people that got to sit behind him on stage and have the time of my life for fifteen years. I got to play drums behind Ozzy Osbourne, and every gig was awesome, every backstage was awesome, every car ride, every plane ride, everything was a moment to remember and I'll remember it forever. God bless Ozzy Osbourne.”

But Clufetos didn’t stop at personal anecdotes—he also spoke to the deeper truth of Ozzy’s influence and the often misunderstood nature of true greatness.

“Usually the innovators aren't given the credit because people don't get it. When you're really great at something, people don't really get it. When you make things look easy, people don't get it exactly.”

In a time when music can be dissected down to algorithms and auto-tuned perfection, Ozzy’s raw, untouchable energy stood apart. As Clufetos points out, there was something in Ozzy’s voice—something no vocal coach could teach and no rival could replicate. “He had this power in his voice, and this sound that came out that it didn't matter how high you could sing, or how low you can sing, or how pretty you sang, you couldn't do what he did. What he did was special and it was unattainable.”

And for those who failed to see that brilliance?

“If you don't like Ozzy Osbourne, it's because you're jealous. That's all there is to it,” Clufetos said, with an unapologetic honesty that’s as bold as the music he helped create. “That goes with sports figures or certain people. Usually the dislike or the hate is usually out of jealousy. So I know there was a lot of people jealous. And you know, Ozzy was great.”

Listen to Clufetos' full interview with Doug Podell on iHeartRadio.

Dan Holzman