Metal fans rejoiced earlier this month when Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath announced they would be doing a final concert, “Back To The Beginning,” on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Ozzy is also planning some kind of solo set, and the star-studded bill will feature sets by Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Lamb Of God, Mastodon, Pantera and more.
Immediately after the announcement, however, fans questioned just how much Ozzy would actually be involved in the show from a performance aspect given his many health struggles in recent years.
On his SiriusXM show “Ozzy Speaks,” Osbourne shared a few more details on what fans can expect at the show.
“I’m not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath, but I am doing little bits and pieces with them,” he said. “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”
“I am trying to get back on my feet,” Ozzy 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.”
Ozzy’s wife Sharon previously told The Sun: “Ozzy’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”
The concert will mark the first time Ozzy, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward have played together in 20 years. Proceeds from “Back To The Beginning” will support Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
