IT is not the first time that the Prince of Darkness has retired from performing live. Ozzy Osbourne first called it quits post-No More Tears album with the aptly named No More Tours trek in 1991.
Since then there has been numerous other tours and live shows, not least with legendary heavy metal pioneers – Black Sabbath. Along with the Sabs, Ozzy recorded one final album – The End – embarking on a worldwide tour ending on Feb 4, 2017.
But it would seem with age and more pertinently, health issues slowing the lead singer down, the time has come to draw a close to a storied and genre defining career.
His spouse and manager, Sharon Osbourne, confirming that Parkinson’s Disease is taking a toll on the frontman’s health, making live commitments increasingly difficult.
As such, the 76-year-old singer will be calling time as a live performer with one final gig in Birmingham, UK on July 5. He will perform solo material as well as headlining the show alongside the original line-up of Black Sabbath - Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums).
Ozzy previously postponed European dates due to illness. In 2020 announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. In 2022 he had extensive spinal surgery after a 2019 fall, which had exacerbated an earlier quad-biking injury. A hoped-for 2023 tour was cancelled as he continued to recuperate, with Ozzy saying: “Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way.”
Musical director for the July 5 show, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) has proclaimed: “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.” With a line-up featuring Metallica, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Slayer, Anthrax, Mastodon and many others, it does not look like Morello is exaggerating.
Fresh from being honoured with the Freedom of Birmingham by the City Council, the original line-up of this legendary band look set to go out with a bang.
The city has long revered the group – even Birmingham Royal Ballet have paid tribute, creating Black Sabbath: the Ballet in 2023, commissioned by Carlos Acosta.
Ozzy’s final gig will be at the home of Aston Villa, the football team based in the Aston area of Birmingham where Osbourne grew up before forming Black Sabbath in 1968. Osbourne recently appeared in a video promoting the team’s 2024-25 season kit, and created an official T-shirt line with the club.
Although the band did play a “farewell” gig in Birmingham during The End tour, Ozzy had said it did not feel right that the tour did not feature drummer Ward. Health and personal issues preventing Ward from being part of that tour. The last time the drummer played with the Sabs was in 2005 and though he was named to be part of the recording of The End, it failed to materialise.
The singer has always maintained that the band should sign off with the original line up in the city where it all began. This does look like he is finally getting his wish.
Tickets for this mega-concert is set to go on sale at 8pm tonight (Feb 14) and although there have been gasps at the prices, demand is still expected to be extremely high.
Profits from the concert will be shared between three charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the Birmingham-based Acorns Children’s Hospice.
Fans planning a UK trip around this once-in-lifetime concert would do well to get in queue early as a mad rush is expected.
