Ozzy Osbourne, despite his battle with Parkinson's disease that has rendered him unable to walk, is "deeply moved" by the prospect of his upcoming farewell concert with his Black Sabbath bandmates. The "Godfather of Heavy Metal" will reunite with the original members of Black Sabbath—Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—for a historic final performance titled "The Back to the Beginning," marking their first collaboration in two decades. This unforgettable event will take place on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.
Recently, his wife, Sharon Osbourne, shared with The Sun, "He is overjoyed to be returning and incredibly emotional about it." She further elaborated, "Parkinson's is a relentless disease; it cannot be stabilized. It attacks various parts of the body, and unfortunately, it has impacted his legs. However, his voice remains as powerful as ever."
On his Sirius XM radio show on Wednesday, Osbourne, as reported by The Independent, opened up, "I've made it to 2025. I may not be able to walk, but during the holidays, I realized something profound. Despite all my complaints, I'm still here. I might grumble about not being able to walk, but when I look around, I see people who haven't accomplished half of what I have and yet they're not here."
Osbourne has faced numerous health hurdles in recent years, including undergoing his fourth spinal surgery. He publicly disclosed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2020. In an interview with Rolling Stone UK a few years ago, he expressed his frustration at never having the "opportunity to bid farewell or express gratitude" to his fans due to his retirement from touring. He revealed that his ultimate goal was to be "well enough to perform one show where I can say, 'Hi guys, thank you so much for everything in my life,'" and now, with the Black Sabbath reunion show, he is finally fulfilling that dream.
In a statement about the upcoming concert, as reported by the Associated Press, Osbourne emotionally stated, "It's my moment to return to where it all began... it's time for me to give back to the place that nurtured me. How fortunate am I to embark on this journey with the people I cherish. Birmingham is the genuine heart of metal. Birmingham forever."
"The Back to the Beginning" show will also feature electrifying performances from other prominent metal bands, including Metallica, Slayer, and Alice In Chains, promising an unforgettable night for fans of heavy metal music.
