Maynard James Keenan says he felt the pressure to do justice to Ozzy Osbourne when he performed ‘Crazy Train’ at the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. Osbourne was watching from the side of the stage, and Keenan wanted to honour both his musical hero and the audience at the tribute. The performance mattered to Keenan because Osbourne’s voice and Black Sabbath’s music helped shape heavy metal and influenced generations of musicians.

Keenan has also cited Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd and King Crimson as influences on his interest in unusual time signatures, alongside his love of metal. He performed with Jelly Roll and Billy Idol, saying they needed to get the tribute right for a “truly historic human”; Osbourne was seen headbanging along. The article says Osbourne died on 22 July 2025, after already receiving recognition from the metal community for his influence.