Jack Osbourne fiercely defended his late father Ozzy Osbourne, calling Roger Waters “pathetic” after the Pink Floyd legend dismissed the heavy metal icon’s legacy.

A fresh feud has erupted in the world of rock music, this time pitting the Osbourne family against Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters.

Jack Osbourne, the 39-year-old son of the late heavy metal pioneer Ozzy Osbourne, has blasted Waters as “pathetic” following remarks the 81-year-old rocker made during a recent interview that took aim at Ozzy’s legacy.

The clash has stirred controversy across the music industry and reignited old conversations about respect, rivalry, and the way legendary musicians are remembered after their passing.

The dispute began when Waters, known for his outspoken political views and unfiltered commentary, was asked about the state of modern rock during a sit-down in London last week.

In the course of his remarks, he pivoted to criticizing the heavy metal genre and singled out Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 76.

“Ozzy was never more than a carnival act,” Waters allegedly said, dismissing the Black Sabbath frontman’s groundbreaking contributions. “People confuse antics with artistry. Shouting at the devil and biting bats isn’t music — it’s theater for people who don’t understand music.”

For Jack Osbourne, who has spent the months since his father’s death defending and celebrating Ozzy’s towering legacy, the comments were a bridge too far.

He responded in a fiery Instagram video posted Tuesday evening, calling Waters’ remarks “pathetic and bitter.” Sitting in his Los Angeles home, Jack looked directly into the camera as he unloaded: “My father spent fifty years giving everything he had to music.

He changed the face of rock and metal forever. For Roger Waters, of all people, to diminish that after he’s gone says more about Roger than it ever will about Ozzy. It’s pathetic.”

The timing of the feud makes it even more emotional. Ozzy Osbourne, the “Prince of Darkness,” died in January after years of battling Parkinson’s disease and other health complications.

His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the globe, with everyone from Metallica’s James Hetfield to Paul McCartney hailing his influence.

Even Mick Jagger referred to him as “a true original who could scare you and make you laugh at the same time.” Against this backdrop of near-universal respect, Waters’ critical words landed with the impact of a cold slap.

Fans quickly rallied behind Jack. Comment sections filled with messages condemning Waters and praising Ozzy’s contributions. One user wrote, “Without Sabbath, there’s no Metallica, no Maiden, no Slayer. Ozzy was the blueprint.”

Another chimed in, “Roger Waters hasn’t made relevant music in decades, so tearing down a dead man is the only way he can get headlines.” Hashtags like #RespectOzzy and #ShameOnWaters began trending within hours.

Jack Osbourne, who first entered the public eye alongside his family in the early 2000s MTV reality series *The Osbournes*, has long been protective of his father’s legacy.

In recent months, he has been involved in projects aimed at memorializing Ozzy’s life, including a documentary chronicling Black Sabbath’s rise from the factories of Birmingham to the stages of the world.

He’s also spearheaded talks for a permanent museum exhibit in Los Angeles dedicated to his father’s career. To him, Waters’ comments felt like an unnecessary stain on a moment of remembrance.

“Roger can sit there and talk about real music all he wants, but people will still be listening to ‘Paranoid’ fifty years from now,” Jack added in his post.

“People will still be singing ‘Crazy Train’ at sporting events. That’s a legacy my dad earned. What’s pathetic is tearing someone down when they’re not here to defend themselves.”

Roger Waters, for his part, has not walked back his comments. His representatives released a brief statement on Wednesday claiming his remarks were “taken out of context” but did not issue an apology.

The statement noted that Waters was speaking broadly about the commercialization of rock music and that his criticism was “aimed at the industry, not any single artist.”

Still, many fans and critics see it differently, pointing out that his words explicitly mentioned Ozzy by name and minimized his contributions.

The clash between Waters and Jack Osbourne is particularly striking given their places in music history. Waters, through Pink Floyd, helped define progressive rock with albums like *The Dark Side of the Moon* and *The Wall*, both of which continue to sell millions worldwide.

Ozzy, through Black Sabbath and later his solo career, created a blueprint for heavy metal, fusing dark themes with a theatrical stage presence that inspired generations of bands.

While their music was very different, both men reshaped rock in profound ways. For one to denigrate the other feels to many like an unnecessary fracture in the pantheon of rock legends.

Industry insiders note that Waters has a long history of making controversial statements, often to spark debate or grab headlines. In recent years, he has drawn as much attention for his political commentary and spats with other artists as for his music.

“This is classic Roger,” one veteran music journalist observed. “He knows exactly what he’s saying, and he knows it will provoke outrage. But to go after Ozzy right now, when the wounds of his passing are still fresh, that was a step too far for a lot of fans.”

For now, Jack Osbourne shows no signs of backing down. In the closing moments of his video, he issued a pointed challenge: “Roger, if you’ve got something to say about my dad, say it with some respect. Otherwise, maybe keep my father’s name out of your mouth.”

As the feud continues to spread across headlines, it’s clear that Ozzy Osbourne’s legacy remains fiercely protected by those who loved him most.

To millions of fans, the “Prince of Darkness” wasn’t just theater — he was the heartbeat of heavy metal. And as Jack Osbourne made clear this week, no amount of criticism, no matter how loud, will ever drown that out.