More than 50 years after they first formed, the original lineup of Black Sabbath reunited to bid farewell to Ozzy Osbourne.
The legendary rocker took the stage Saturday for his final performance before a crowd of some 40,000 at England’s Villa Park. Titled Back to the Beginning, the 10-hour event was an ode to heavy metal, held just miles away from where Osbourne and his bandmates grew up in Birmingham, and featured a stellar lineup of rock n’ roll greats.
Early in the show, Osbourne emerged from beneath the stage, sitting atop a winged throne. “Let the madness begin,” he announced, per the Associated Press.
Later he paid tribute to the crowd of thousands: “I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years,” he said. “You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart. You’re all special. Let’s go crazy, come on.”
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The Villa Park crowd at Back to the Beginning
Osbourne, who stepped back from live performance after his ability to stand and walk were impacted by health issues including Parkinson’s disease and emphysema, played solo for the first time in nearly seven years. The musician then welcomed to the stage the founding members of his 1970s heavy metal band: guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Terence Butler (known as Geezer), and drummer Bill Ward. They kicked things off with “War Pigs,” before singing “NIB,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.” The four-song set marked their first time performing together since 2005.
Ahead of Black Sabbath’s fourth song, Osbourne warned the crowd, “Unfortunately, we’ve come to our final song — ever.”
After a pause, he then expressed further gratitude, adding, “I just want to say to you on behalf of the guys in Black Sabbath and myself, your support over the years has made it all possible for us to live the lifestyle that we do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you. We love you.”
The Black Sabbath set was preceded by a full day’s worth of metal and hard-rock legends taking the stage for short sets which each included at least one Sabbath or Osbourne cover. Aquaman star Jason Momoa served as the event’s host and among the performing acts were Metallica, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and Mastodon.
After Black Sabbath concluded the festivities, Osbourne was presented with a cake as fireworks went off over Villa Park.
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The Villa Park crowd at Back to the Beginning
Formed in 1968, Black Sabbath is one of the most revered heavy metal bands of all time, with over 75 million albums sold, three Grammy wins to their names, and a host of additional accolades, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. (Osbourne was also inducted as a solo artist last year.)
Osbourne announced the farewell concert earlier this year, after previously opening up about his health issues and decision to step back from performing. The singer has been recovering from spinal surgeries in recent years and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019. Ahead of the show, Osbourne told The Guardian that unlike old performances, he didn’t expect to be active onstage.
“I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time,” he admitted. “I may be sitting down, but the point is I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”
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Scott Ian and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee during rehearsals of Black Sabbath’s “Back to the Beginning” concert, Ozzy Osbourne’s final ever gig as Black Sabbath’s frontman
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Osbourne also affirmed that Back to the Beginning truly marks his last live performance. “I’d love to say ‘never say never’, but after the last six years or so, it is time,” he said. “I lived on the road for 50-odd years, and I’ve kind of got used to not picking up my bags and getting on the bus again. I don’t smoke dope or do any of the rock star lifestyle any more. I’m kind of like a homebody. I never go out. I never hang out in bars — I don’t drink. So what the f— is out there for me?”
He added, “It’s time for me to spend some time with my grandkids, I don’t want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.”
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