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Iron Mountain Media & Archival Services team remembers Ozzy Osbourne’s 2015 visit to the site, and why music preservation matters.
Imagine it: you hear some of rock music’s most recognizable opening chords, followed by “All Aboard!” and the iconic laugh that’s known around the world. Ozzy Osbourne, known as the “Prince of Darkness”, who helped define heavy metal as Black Sabbath’s iconic frontman, is hearing the unmixed tracks of his 1980 recordings for the first time in decades.
On July 22, 2025, Ozzy Osbourne passed away, leaving behind his family, millions of international fans, and a rock and roll legacy.
In late 2015, Osbourne, accompanied by his son Jack, visited Iron Mountain’s Boyers, Pennsylvania facility, a unique experience captured for their Discovery Channel series, Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour. The episode, aptly titled "Iron Mountain Men," paid homage to Osbourne’s iconic Black Sabbath song, Iron Man. “It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my career," remembered Robert Koszela, Global Director of Studio Operations for Media & Archival Services. The journey began with a tour of the Sony Music Vault, where Osbourne's master recordings are securely stored, followed by a visit to the preservation studio. Koszela noted, "The energy in the studio was electric, our team was absolutely buzzing with excitement to meet him. Ozzy couldn’t have been more gracious."
The most poignant moment arrived in the audio studio when Osbourne listened to the original multi-track recording of Crazy Train. Koszela described the emotional impact: "Hearing just his voice and the iconic guitar solos from the late, great Randy Rhoads was incredibly moving." A surreal discovery followed when an unreleased track began to play, unknown even to Osbourne himself.
Photos: Bethany Boarts
“It was wonderful to have Ozzy and Jack come and remember where the Black Sabbath journey started and how it evolved over time,” explained Bethany Boarts, Solutions Architect for Iron Mountain Media & Archival Services.
The visit fell on Osbourne’s birthday, so the team prepared a custom cake. Koszela fondly recalled asking Osbourne if they could sing "Happy Birthday," to which he readily agreed, leading to a memorable moment where "the whole team joined in. It was one of those moments you never forget."
The visit concluded with a heartfelt gesture from Osbourne. Initially, it seemed he might depart without signing autographs, but after a word from Jack, Osbourne "literally jumped off the cart and came back into the studio." For nearly an hour, he signed autographs and posed for photos, ensuring every team member had a personal interaction. “That’s what stood out to me - how generous he was with his time, and how friendly he was with everyone,” remembered Boarts. “I watched him take time to go up to every single person in the office and create a moment. And he didn’t have to do that.”
For Koszela and the entire Iron Mountain team, it was "a truly unforgettable day. We’ve read the tributes to him which talk about his kind and funny nature. This stuck with us too. I’ll never forget being able to honor not just Ozzy’s music, but his heart, his humor, and his legacy."
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