In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Ozzy Osbourne spoke about his first-ever Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination as a solo artist. The 75-eyar-old singer, who was inducted as a member of BLACK SABBATH back in 2006, said: “It’s been driving me mad. It’s an honor that I’m nominated, but I’m not expecting to get in. There’s Mariah Carey, there’s Cher, Lenny Kravitz. I’m up against some serious people. If I get in, I get in. If I don’t, I don’t.”

Ozzy, who released two albums in the last four years — 2020’s “Ordinary Man” and 2022’s “Patient Number 9”, both produced by Andrew Watt — also confirmed that he is planning to make a new record.

“I’m waiting for Andrew Watt to give me a call,” he said. “He’s been working with Lady Gaga. I’m dying to make more music.”

The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman, who has struggled with a number of health issues in recent years, was also asked when he thinks he might be physically capable of returning to the live stage. He said: “I would love to, but I can’t stand up right. Maybe I’ll do something one day. I miss it terribly.” Pressed about whether he would do a short set if inducted into the Rock Hall, he says, “Maybe. We’ll see.”

Last November, Ozzy spoke to Rolling Stone UK about the possibility of returning to the live stage. He said: “I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will. But it’s been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life. At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I’ve just gone, ‘Well, maybe I’ve just got to accept that fact.

“I’m not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy. What’s the fucking point in that? I’m not going up there in a fucking wheelchair. I’ve seen Phil Collins perform recently, and he’s got virtually the same problems as me. He gets up there in a wheelchair. But I couldn’t do that.”

Ozzy went on to pay tribute to his fans who made it possible for him to have a five-plus-decade career, first with SABBATH and then as a solo artist.

“That’s one of the things I’ve been the most fucking pissed off at: I never got the chance to say goodbye or thank you,” he said. “Because my fans are what it’s all about. If I can just do a few gigs… They’ve been loyal to me for fucking years. They write to me, they know all about my dogs. It’s my extended family really, and they give us the lifestyle we have. For whatever reason, that’s my goal to work to. To do those shows. If it’s at Ozzfest or somewhere, or even a fucking gig at the Roundhouse (in London)

“If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.’ That’s what I’m working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man.”