By almost all accounts, Saturday’s “Back To The Beginning” concert marking the end of metal icons Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne proved to be a resounding success. The celebration included performances by several of hard rock and heavy metal’s elite players tackling the catalogs of both Sabbath and Ozzy while also performing some of their most well-known tunes.
Smashing Pumpkins frontman and NWA president Billy Corgan was involved in one of the all-star jams at the show performing Judas Priest’s “Breaking The Law” with Tool’s Adam Jones and Danny Carey along with original Priest guitarist KK Downing, Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello and former Whitesnake and Dio bassist Rudy Sarzo.
Following the show, Corgan took to social media to pen a heartfelt tribute to Sabbath. He wrote: “A few reflections on a beautiful and bittersweet day: I first heard Black Sabbath on my uncle’s stereo some 50 years ago. So it was surreal to stand on a football pitch with 45,000 strong to witness the end of this grand, institutional group who has touched me personally, professionally, and at times even intimately in stolen moments of work and camaraderie. Thank you Tony, Bill, Geezer, and Ozzy for all you’ve done for so many.”
“I owe a debt of gratitude to Sharon for asking me to take part. It was truly an honor on more levels that I could count. And to witness the passionate performances of so many in rehearsal: those I admire from afar, those I know, too, and see the translation into the near 10-hour affair of music and fellowship was something to behold. Music is of course the soundtrack to our lives, but yesterday in my estimation was something truly special. As a 3-dimensional soundtrack was being crafted in real time. All to celebrate this coming home for the band once known as Earth.”
“Every great journey has trials and tribulations, tragedies and surprise. Therein lies the magic, therein lie the tears. I both whooped yesterday in sheer exultation to be in the right spot at the right moment, and I wept silently as my heroes fell on their wizardly, mythic sword to bid us farewell. We have the music, and we have them in our hearts. You don’t have to be a musician to understand. But it does help, at least if you’re trying to decode that which is elusive in the cosmos. Now the band is both here and not here; with us, and yet gone. As it should be.”
