In late 2023, Ozzy Osbourne announced he had no intentions of going anywhere anytime soon. Now, that might have been a little optimistic since he was also battling rumors that he was dead, but just the same. Now, as the date for Black Sabbath’s final show nears, Ozzy and his wife Sharon are reflecting on this stage in his life and his battle with Parkinson’s.
Speaking on his show on SiriusXM, Ozzy Osbourne stated that his condition has left him unable to walk, although he’s still grateful he has made it to his 70s. “I have made it to 2025. I can’t walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I’m still alive. I may be moaning that I can’t walk but I look down the road and there’s people that didn’t do half as much as me and didn’t make it.”
As for the final show with Black Sabbath – which will be comprised of the original lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward – the legendary metal band will be joined by Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, and more. This final show, dubbed ”Back To The Beginning”, will take place on July 5th in Birmingham, England.
The concert comes 20 years after the band last played in that original form and five years after Ozzy Osbourne first announced his diagnosis. As wife Sharon worded it, “He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this…Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”
It’s incredibly sad that Ozzy is in this shape, but those who will be attending Black Sabbath’s farewell show will no doubt be in for an all-timer, especially with their support – both on the stage and in the crowd. Ozzy has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once for Sabbath and just last year as a solo artist.
What is your favorite Ozzy or Black Sabbath song?
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