GOJIRA's JOE DUPLANTIER Recalls The Extremely Odd Way He Found Out OZZY OSBOURNE Died

For Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier, the news of Ozzy Osbourne's death came at a moment he could never have expected — and not through conventional means.

While the passing of the Prince of Darkness marked a seismic shift for rock and metal fans across the globe, Duplantier learned about it in the middle of doing what he does best: performing live. Speaking recently with Guitar World, the French metal icon recalled the surreal way the moment unfolded during a show in Istanbul.

"We were playing in Istanbul," Duplantier explained. "Three songs in, a fan put his phone up as we were playing 'Backbone.' It said, 'RIP OZZY.' I was like, 'What the hell? Please don't – I'm working up here!'"

Shaken, he rushed to confirm the news when given the chance. "Then I wondered if it was real. When I got the chance, I rushed to the side, and my manager confirmed it was true."

The magnitude of the loss immediately weighed on the band and the audience. Rather than dramatize the moment, Duplantier addressed the crowd directly. "I told the crowd pretty straight. I didn't want to make a gimmick out of it. The reaction was insane: nobody said a word. We played 'Flying Whales' for Ozzy as everyone held up their lights. I could see people crying."

Remarkably, Gojira had already planned a tribute of sorts before knowing the news, with a cover of Black Sabbath's "Under the Sun" set to appear later in the performance. "We never do covers – but our plan had been to play Black Sabbath later in the set. How crazy is that? It was very powerful," Duplantier reflected.

Since that night, the experience has left him reconnecting with the music that inspired him in the first place. "I've been having a revival, listening to all the classics. Ozzy was such a character. I'll be in Birmingham soon to soak up all the energy there. I also want to buy a black SG while I'm over."

The loss of Ozzy Osbourne signals the end of an era, but through tributes like Gojira's and the countless musicians carrying his influence forward, the spirit of Sabbath's frontman continues to resonate.