OZZY OSBOURNE promises to do his best at his final concert, but admits he may be sitting down while performing
02-05-2025
Ozzy Osbourne says that he will “do the best” he can when he plays his final gig this summer.
The legendary heavy metal singer announced his last-ever performance on February 5, revealing that the original members of BLACK SABBATH are reuniting for the first time in 20 years for the show. Joining them at the concert called “Back To The Beginning”, which will take place on July 5 at at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, will be a host of metal bands SABBATH inspired, including METALLICA, SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, MASTODON, PANTERA and ANTHRAX.
Ozzy — who hasn’t played a full show since late 2018, before undergoing extensive spinal surgery and revealing he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — told The Guardian about the upcoming concert: “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”
Addressing his physical ailments, Ozzy said: “You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end.”
He said the SABBATH reunion concert was conceived by his wife and manager, Sharon, as “something to give me a reason to get up in the morning”.
“I do weights, bike riding, I’ve got a guy living at my house who’s working with me. It’s tough — I’ve been laid up for such a long time,” Ozzy said. “I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It’s like starting all over again. I’ve got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going. I have problems walking. I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs.”
The singer continued: “I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down.”
He added: “We’re only playing a couple of songs each. I don’t want people thinking ‘we’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and SABBATH.”
On last month’s episode of SiriusXM‘s Ozzy Speaks, Ozzy Osbourne sat down with co-host Billy Morrison and gave a health update. He said: “I’m in heavy training for this (‘Back To The Beginning’ concert in Birmingham, United Kingdom) that’s coming up (in early July). I haven’t done anything for — this will be seven years (since I played a full concert), and so I’ve been through all this surgery. It really is like starting from scratch.”
Asked what sort of training he is going through at the moment, Ozzy said: “Well, it’s endurance training. The first thing to go when you’re laid up is your stamina, so believe it or not, I’m doing two sets of three-minute walks a day and weight training. I’ve gotta get going, you know.”
He explained: “I’m waking up in my body. I mean, three minutes to you, for instance, is nothing, but I’ve been laying on my back recovering from umpteen surgeries.”
Ozzy and the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — will perform one last time as part a fundraising event at Villa Park, featuring a host of bands they inspired, including METALLICA, PANTERA, SLAYER, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.
The concert, dubbed “Back To The Beginning”, was announced at Villa Park on Wednesday (February 5) by Sharon and Tony.
See the full list of performers in the poster below.
All proceeds from the show will go to Birmingham charities Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
Osbourne comments: “It’s my time to go ‘Back To The Beginning’… time for me to give back to the place where I was born. How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”
METALLICA says: “We are beyond honored and humbled to be invited to perform at BLACK SABBATH‘s final show, back where it all began in Birmingham, England. On July 5 at Villa Park — home of Aston Villa — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward will reunite to play their first show together in 20 years. Tickets go on sale at 10 AM GMT on Friday, February 14, via Ticketmaster UK and Live Nation UK.
“As part of this huge celebration of nearly six decades of BLACK SABBATH, we’ll hit the stage just before a short solo set from Ozzy Osbourne, followed by the mighty SABBATH closing the show. ANTHRAX, ALICE IN CHAINS, GOJIRA, HALESTORM, LAMB OF GOD, MASTODON, PANTERA, and SLAYER will also be a part of the massive night.
“An incredible lineup of musicians from around the globe will also be on hand to pay tribute, including Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS), David Draiman (DISTURBED), Duff McKagan & Slash (GUNS N’ ROSES), Frank Bello (ANTHRAX), Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT), Jake E. Lee, Jonathan Davis (KORN), K.K. Downing, Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM), Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), II (SLEEP TOKEN), Papa V Perpetua (GHOST),Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),Wolfgang Van Halen, and Zakk Wylde.
“All profits from the night will go to the following charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
“Our admiration for BLACK SABBATH runs deep, and we cannot wait to be a part of this historic event! We’ll see you in Birmingham!”
A year ago, Sharon said that Ozzy was hoping to play a farewell concert at Birmingham’s Villa Park as a “goodbye” to fans.
BLACK SABBATH is considered a pioneer of heavy metal and was formed in 1968 in Aston, Birmingham.
BLACK SABBATH has sold over 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006, awarded a Lifetime Ivor Novello Songwriting Award in 2015 and were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
The band has a star on the Broad Street Walk Of Stars in Birmingham, alongside individual stars in their own right, together with a bench in their honor.
In February 2017, SABBATH finished “The End” tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet’s groundbreaking 49-year career.
“The End” was SABBATH‘s last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.
Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled “13”, and the subsequent tour to promote it.
The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.
“13” was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, Osbourne and Butler all playing together.
Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced 11 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn’t physically up to the task.
All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its final reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an “unsignable” contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced “13” LP and extensive international touring without him.
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