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Ozzy Osbourne said he is putting in maximum effort to prepare for what’s being billed as Black Sabbath’s final performance this summer. During a recent episode of Ozzy Speaks on SiriusXM, the legendary metal vocalist reportedly explained that he hadn’t played a full concert since 2018 due to ongoing health challenges, including Parkinson’s disease and multiple surgeries. He admitted to not doing any physical work for the past six to seven years but said he’s working hard to change that.
According to Osbourne, he’s working with a trainer who specializes in rehabilitation, and although the process has been difficult, he expressed confidence that the trainer could help him get stage-ready. He told listeners he was giving it everything he had and was determined to perform at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5 — his hometown — alongside Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for the first time in two decades.
When asked by co-host Billy Morrison if he was feeling nervous about the show, Osbourne admitted that he sometimes did, but said he was trying not to obsess over it constantly. He said that obsessing too much would drive him crazy, so he was choosing to take it one day at a time. He also mentioned struggling with obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
He emphasized that he was “giving 120 per cent” and said that if it was God’s will, he would be there for the performance. Osbourne also spoke about the star-studded lineup for the event, which features acts such as Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Gojira, Anthrax, Billy Corgan, Guns N’ Roses, KoRn, Tool, and many more. He reflected on how many of these artists had been influenced by Sabbath over the years. He also shared that his son Jack told him he had already “done it,” to which Ozzy replied that he still wanted to create more music.
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In a separate interview with The Guardian, Osbourne said he was focused on doing his best for the final Sabbath appearance and confirmed he would show up, even if he might need to sit during the performance. Rumours had circulated that Ozzy would take the stage on a flying throne, but he clarified that the performance would feature just a handful of songs from both his solo work and Black Sabbath’s catalogue, describing it as more of a “sample” than a complete concert.
He also said he was no longer interested in the “rock star lifestyle” and wanted to spend more time with his family and grandchildren, rather than risking dying alone on tour. While he’s back in the gym and in what he described as “heavy training,” he acknowledged that he would only perform small parts of the show, depending on his comfort level.
Osbourne had previously said he could no longer walk due to Parkinson’s, but Sharon Osbourne, his wife and manager, clarified in a recent interview that the illness hasn’t affected his voice. She added that he was grateful for the chance to say thank you to fans, something he missed earlier due to his health.
Sharon said Ozzy was doing well emotionally and physically, and that the final Sabbath show was important to him. Iommi echoed this sentiment, saying the performance would be good for Osbourne because he genuinely wanted to get back on stage.
Tension and Surprises Build Ahead of Black Sabbath’s Final Show
Despite the support from his family and bandmates, Tool’s Maynard James Keenan reportedly remarked that it might take “modern miracles” to get Osbourne on stage one last time. Meanwhile, Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler admitted to having “nightmares” and “palpitations” ahead of the historic show, which will feature Tom Morello as the musical director.
Elsewhere, Rob Halford of Judas Priest shared that he was “gutted” not to be involved in the final concert, saying he wasn’t aware of the event until it was too late. Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and the surviving members of Soundgarden were also recently added to the massive line-up.
