The bassist recalled the various ways Osbourne shaped and influenced his life and career, calling him a "conduit" and "gateway"

The music world experienced a major loss Tuesday morning when heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne passed away following a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Osbourne was 76 and had just performed with his Black Sabbath bandmates at a charity farewell concert in Birmingham,

Osbourne had been living with long-term health issues for years before he died on July 22 at age 76. Per the Times, Osbourne's certificate officially said that the icon died of cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction."