Ozzy Osbourne 'may be sitting down' for final gig as health woes continue
The Back To The Beginning show on July 5 will see the 76-year-old singer deliver his own short set before he joins bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward
Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has hinted he "may be sitting down" during his final gig due to ongoing health issues.
The historic 'Back To The Beginning' gig on July 5 will mark a milestone as the 76 year old rocker will perform solo and then reunite with bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward onstage for their first group performance in two decades.
"I'll be there, and I'll do the best I can.
"So all I can do is turn up," Osbourne assured fans in an interview with The Guardian.
Having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2020, Osbourne took a break from touring in 2023 following major spinal surgery.
"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 shared with the publication.
Osbourne revealed his wife, Sharon, inspired the reunion concert as "something to give me a reason to get up in the morning".
In preparation for the show, he said, "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."
The legendary rocker lamented the impact of his immobility, saying: "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."
Famed for his energetic performances, Osbourne remarked: "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."
But he said; "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."
Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar revealed on the rock radio show Loudwire Nights that he has learned Osbourne is "going to try and sing five songs", including No More Tears.
Osbourne suffered a tumble at home in 2019 which worsened injuries from a near-deadly quad bike accident back in 2003.
Upon discussing his Parkinson's diagnosis in January 2020 on US show Good Morning America, he said: "I just can't wait to get well enough to go on the road, that is what is killing me."
The day-long event at Villa Park – the original stomping ground for the legendary heavy rock creators in 1968 – is set to boast gigs by numerous significant metal groups such as Metallica, Slayer and Alice In Chains.
In 2017, the band performed what was supposed to be their "last" concert with Osbourne, guitarist Iommi, and bassist Butler – however, Ward was not present on the drums.
The journey of Black Sabbath started when Osbourne, Iommi, Butler and Ward decided to leave behind factory life.
Their self-titled first album in 1970 climbed into the UK top 10, setting the stage for an array of chart-topping records.
They rose to fame as one of the most iconic and successful metal bands worldwide, amassing sales of over 75 million albums.
The band was honoured with an induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and Osbourne received a second induction last year.
In 2022, he celebrated his hometown by participating in the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.
His fame skyrocketed further through his marriage to Sharon.
The pair married in 1982.
They are parents to Aimee, Jack, and Kelly, and gained additional recognition through their reality TV series, The Osbournes.