Ozzy Osbourne will definitely be on stage at the upcoming Back to the Beginning gig in his hometown of Birmingham, U.K. for what is being billed as Black Sabbath’s final-ever show. But given his recent run of ill health and surgeries, the 76-year-old rock icon said his madcap performance days are definitely over.
Speaking to the Guardian, Osbourne said, “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.” The July 5 show at Villa Park is slated to feature a massive roster of metal acts paying tribute to Osbourne and the band’s iconic career, including Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Gojira, Lamb of God, Mastodon and many more.
But after Tool singer Maynard James Keenan recently said that Osbourne — who hasn’t performed a full set since Dec. 31, 2018 — will need “modern miracles” to get on stage given his health issues, Ozzy said he is, indeed dealing with a lot. “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 of a series of health setbacks including a 2019 fall that aggravated a previous spinal injury and required several surgeries, as well as pneumonia and the diagnosis of a form of Parkinson’s.
Regardless, Osbourne has said he’s begun rigorous training to play the first show by the original Black Sabbath lineup in 20 years, where he’ll appear alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. “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,” Osbourne said of his regimen. “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. 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.”
Osbourne noted that the reunion concert was originally conceived by his wife/manager, Sharon Osbourne, as “something to give me a reason to get up in the morning.” That said, Ozzy confirmed that he won’t be performing a full set, but “only playing a couple 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.”
Among the newly added acts who will be playing a few songs alongside Guns N’ Roses and members of Judas Priest, Limp Bizkit, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megadeth, Ghost and more, according to Sharon Osbourne, are members of Soundgarden and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler.
Musical director Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine told the Guardian that there are also “some pretty great surprises that are not posted anywhere [yet].”
The show will raise funds for three charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the Birmingham-based Acorns Children’s Hospice.
