Ozzy Osbourne, 72, says he’s started new hobby of shooting an air rifle at his home range because it helps ‘take his mind off of him’ and his health issues
Ozzy Osbourne has revealed he likes to shoot an air rifle at a range at his home because it helps him to not think about his health issues.
The rock icon, 72, explained in an interview with The Sun on Thursday that the pastime allows him to ‘take [his] mind off of [him]’ while he stays at home amid the coronavirus pandemic and his Parkinson’s battle.
He explained: ‘I have got this new hobby of shooting an air rifle in the garden. It is a compressed air rifle, not a bullet gun. It is good fun. It gets me out of my head, man.
Helpful: Ozzy Osbourne revealed on Thursday that his new hobby of shooting an air rifle at his home range helps ‘take his mind off of him’ and his health issues (pictured in 2016)
‘When I am in my house, I worry I never am going to walk properly or do another gig. So, I have got to get something to take my mind off of me.’
Ozzy has a collection of ten air rifles at his home at LA, and the range is also fitted with a number of targets for him to practice against.
The Black Sabbath frontman said of his rangefinder: ‘It’s f*****g great. I am a good shot. I’m hitting them smack in the middle. But this has been great for me. I have been thinking of melodies.’
Honest: Ozzy said the pastime helps distract him as ‘I worry I never am going to walk properly or do another gig. So, I have got to get something to take my mind off of me’ (pictured in 2018)
Hobby: Ozzy has a collection of ten air rifles at his home at LA, and the range is also fitted with a number of targets for him to practice against
The rocker has endured the flu, had multiple hospitalisations, neck surgery, and has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in recent years.
In January last year, the singer revealed that he has Parkin 2 – a form of Parkinson’s which he said is the cause of nerve pain and leaves his legs cold.
The star had been hiding his condition for a year, but he finally decided to go public with his diagnosis in 2020 as he seeks ongoing treatment.
According to Ozzy, he was in ‘constant’ pain and the past year has been the ‘most miserable’ of his life as he wasn’t sure if he would even be able to walk ever again.
Health battle: In January last year, the singer revealed that he has Parkin 2 – a form of Parkinson’s which he said is the cause of nerve pain and leaves his legs cold
The singer told Good Morning America last year: ‘It’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does effect the nerves in your body. It’s like you’ll have a good day, then a good day and then a really bad day.
‘A year ago I was in a terrible state. I’m on a host of medication , mainly for the surgery.
‘I’ve got numbness down this arm and my legs are going cold. I don’t know if it’s the Parkinson’s or what. That’s the problem.’
The common disease, he said, began when he suffered a fall in 2019 and started experiencing nerve pain following surgery
Changes: The common disease, he said, began when he suffered a fall in 2019 and started experiencing nerve pain following surgery (pictured last year)
Last year, Ozzy made his first solo album in 10 years which is called Ordinary Man.
He believes music has been instrumental in his recovery, and he is hoping the pandemic will pass so he can get back to performing on stage.
He said: “That whole album came out of nowhere and it was so much fun.
‘I cannot wait [to get back on stage], but I was talking to Tony Iommi the other day, and he was saying with the way it’s going with this, indoor shows will be a thing of the past.’