Fans gathering in their masses, just like witches at black masses, should prepare for a reduced amount of Ozzy Osbourne at the upcoming final Black Sabbath concert. Speaking on the aptly titled Ozzy Speaks show on Osbourne’s SiriusXM channel [via Billboard], the Prince of Darkness warned fans that he wouldn’t be doing a whole Sabbath at the “Back to the Beginning” concert, pitched as Black Sabbath’s “final show.” Osbourne hasn’t played a full set since 2018. The following year, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
“I’m not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath, but I am doing little bits and pieces with them,” Osbourne said. “I am doing what I can where I feel comfortable.”
“I am trying to get back on my feet,” he continued. “When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I’m not dead. I’m still actively doing things.”
Earlier this year, Osbourne told fans he “can’t walk,” so maybe there’s been some improvement in his condition. “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,” he said. “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.”
Sadly, Ozzy’s health has been deteriorating for years. In 2023, he announced his retirement from touring after canceling numerous shows because of his condition. “I have now come to the realization that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required,” he wrote on social media. “Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really FUCKS ME UP, more than you will ever know.”
Said to be Black Sabbath’s final show and directed by Tom Morello, “Back to the Beginning” will feature performances from Metallica, Anthrax, Pantera, Alice In Chains, and more. The concert will occur in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England, on July 5. It marks the first reunion with the original Black Sabbath lineup—Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—in 20 years.
