Here’s how many songs Ozzy Osbourne is likely to sing at final Black Sabbath show, according to Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar has revealed how many songs Ozzy Osbourne is likely to sing at Black Sabbath‘s final-ever live show this summer.

The former Van Halen singer appears on the stacked line-up for the legendary metal band’s last concert together – which will take place at Villa Park stadium in Aston, Birmingham on July 5.

• READ MORE: Sharon Osbourne and Tony Iommi tell us about Black Sabbath’s finale: “Usually this thing is done when you’re dead”

Dubbed ‘Back To The Beginning’, the forthcoming event will see Sabbath’s most iconic line-up – comprising Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward – appear on stage with each other for the first time in two decades.

Joining Hagar on the bill are the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Gojira, Anthrax, Smashing Pumpkins‘ Billy Corgan, Guns N’ Roses, KoRn, Tool and many more.

Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello is serving as musical director – a role he is “honoured” to have taken on – and will perform live on the day too.

Now, in an interview on the Loudwire Nights radio show, Hagar has shed some light on his preparations for the historic date – and discussed how many songs Osbourne himself will be singing.

“When the word started leaking out, Tom Morello calls me and says, ‘Hey man, would you interested’?” he explained. “I went, ‘Yes!’ He didn’t have to say what. Would you be interested? ‘Yes, Tom, I’m all in’. I was so flattered that I was one of the early guys on.”

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Hagar revealed that he had been “studying” Osbourne and the Prince Of Darkness’ vocal techniques ahead of the big gig.

“Everybody asks, ‘What do you listen to?’ Him. I’m listening to Ozzy until the 5th [July],” he continued. “I got to learn his phrasing. His melodic structures are so unique, he’s such a unique singer. I’m so honoured.”

Hagar teased that Osbourne was hoping to sing five songs in total, including his 1991 solo track ‘No More Tears’ from his sixth album of the same name.

“I chose to do ‘No More Tears’ and Tom goes, ‘Oh, that would be great’, and then he comes back and says, ‘Guess what? Ozzy’s going to try and sing five songs and he wants to sing ‘No More Tears’,” he continued.

“I said, ‘OK, ‘Flying High Again’ [1981], and he goes, ‘You got it’. So right now, I’m singing ‘Flying High Again’. If Ozzy changes his mind, I’ll sing ‘Flying High Again’ and ‘No More Tears’.”

Additionally, Hagar said that he’d been offered to perform one of his own tracks as well. He added that he was looking at dusting off some of his older material that was part of the same era as Black Sabbath.

“I thought I would sing [Montrose’s 1973 song] ‘Rock Candy,'” he told the station. “Montrose and Sabbath were from the same kind of era… I’m so excited.”

The latest ‘Back To The Beginning’ update comes shortly after Osbourne revealed that he was “in heavy training” for Black Sabbath’s farewell show.

Talking on SiriusXM (via Loudwire), the 76-year-old vocalist opened up about his preparations for the huge gig following multiple surgeries and health problems – including Parkinson’s disease.

“I haven’t done anything for, jeez, it’s gonna be seven years,” Osbourne explained. “I’ve been through all these surgeries. It really is like starting from scratch.”

Elsewhere, Tool’s Maynard James Keenan recently said it may take “modern miracles” to get Osbourne on stage once again. “We’ll have this conversation, but I don’t know that this [concert is] gonna happen,” he commented […] “This is gonna be a challenge for them.”

• READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne – ‘Patient Number 9’ review: a fizzing piece of hard-rock magic

It had previously been reported that Osbourne was back in the gym in the run-up to the massive Birmingham event.

Osbourne’s longtime collaborator and guitarist, Zakk Wylde, has since teased that the Prince Of Darkness may perform from a “throne that flies over the stadium” at the summer concert. Earlier, Ozzy told fans that he would only be “doing little bits and pieces” with Sabbath at Villa Park amid his health issues. “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable,” he said.

“I am trying to get back on my feet. 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.”

This came after Osbourne revealed that he now “can’t walk” as a result of Parkinson’s – but his wife and manager, Sharon, has assured fans that his illness “doesn’t affect his voice”.

When speaking to NME with Tony Iommi at Villa Park in February, Sharon said her husband was doing “really great” at the time. She told us that Ozzy was feeling “very emotional” about the last Sabbath set, and that it was “what he wants”.

“He wants to say thank you to everybody,” Sharon told NME. “He didn’t have that chance because of his illness, but now he does have the chance.”

Speaking further about Ozzy’s health, she added: “He’s got Parkinson’s, which we all know, but he’s great and it doesn’t affect his voice.” Iommi then told NME that the Sabbath show would “do him good”, explaining: “That’s what it’s all about: he wants to get out and do something.”

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Sharon went on: “He feels like he’s never had a chance to thank the fans; to say ‘thank you for this unbelievable life.’”

Elsewhere in NME‘s interview, Sharon said that ‘Back To The Beginning’ would be “just about celebrating the old music that still lives on” – rather than Black Sabbath releasing any new material to coincide with the event.

“You get to a stage in your career where whatever you do just doesn’t stand up to what you did before,” she told NME. “To be able to rest on your laurels and say, ‘People still love that and it’s still selling and we can’t do better than what we’ve done’, that’s enough.

“This is a celebration – of the genre and the pioneers who started it and passed it on to all these bands. Usually this thing is done when you’re dead – so it’s nice that these guys can be alive to be appreciated!”

Iommi added: “I was just thinking that! We’re having it before we go now.”

Black Sabbath’s ‘Back To The Beginning’ will be hosted by Aquaman actor Jason Momoa – who recently told NME that it was going to be “the greatest show in the world”.

In other news, Halestorm‘s Lzzy Hale has reflected on the “honour” of being the only woman asked to perform at Black Sabbath‘s final-ever concert, while Tom Morello has teased “some huge superstars who are gonna be surprises” on the day.

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