Ozzy Osbourne says he’s “giving 120 per cent” to get ready for final show
Ozzy Osbourne has said he is “giving 120 per cent” as he prepares for his last performances at Black Sabbath‘s final-ever show this summer.
During a recent episode of Ozzy Speaks on SiriusXM, the Prince Of Darkness spoke about not having played a full gig since 2018, and after undergoing multiple surgeries and experiencing numerous health problems in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease.
“I haven’t done any physical work for the last seven, six and a half, seven years,” he explained (via Blabbermouth).
However, Osbourne promised fans that “by hook or by crook, I’m gonna make it” to Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5 – where he’ll perform with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward for the first time in two decades.
“I’ve got this trainer guy who helps people get back to normal,” the singer continued. “It’s hard going, but he’s convinced that he can pull it off for me. I’m giving it everything I’ve got.”
Osbourne’s co-host, friend and former collaborator Billy Morrison then asked the metal icon if he had been “waking up thinking about [the concert], stressing about it”.
The vocalist responded: “Sometimes, but what if I start obsessing all the time? I’ll be insane by Friday, you know? So, I’m just taking it one day at a time and when I do it one day at a time. You know, when we were talking about this [obsessive-compulsive disorder], whatever. I have that badly.”
Osbourne concluded: “All I can say is I’m giving 120 per cent. If my God wants me to do the show, I’ll do it.”
He also talked about the star-studded line-up for the upcoming historic gig – which boasts the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Gojira, Anthrax, Smashing Pumpkins‘ Billy Corgan, Guns N’ Roses, KoRn, Tool and many more.
“It’s all the people that we’ve influenced over the years,” Osbourne told Morrison. Later, he added: “[My son] Jack said to me, ‘Well, you’ve done it now,’ and I go, ‘No, I haven’t. I wanna make more music’.”
During a recent interview with The Guardian, Osbourne similarly looked ahead to playing the last Black Sabbath show in good health. “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can,” he promised. “So all I can do is turn up.”
He suggested that he “may be sitting down” on stage, following reports that he’d be performing from a “throne that flies over the stadium”.
“We’re only playing a couple of songs each. I don’t want people thinking ‘We’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath,” he explained.
Additionally, Osbourne said he was done with the “rock star lifestyle”, saying: “It’s time for me to spend some time with my grandkids, I don’t want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.”
He had previously told fans that he was “in heavy training” for the forthcoming farewell concert, and was back in the gym. Osbourne also said he would only be “doing little bits and pieces” with Sabbath at Villa Park amid his health problems: “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”
Earlier this year, he said he now “can’t walk” as a result of Parkinson’s – but his wife and manager, Sharon, has told NME that his illness “doesn’t affect his voice”. “He wants to say thank you to everybody,” she explained to us at Villa Park. “He didn’t have that chance because of his illness, but now he does have the chance.”
Sharon said her husband was doing “really great” at the time. She told us that Ozzy was feeling “very emotional” about the final Sabbath set, and that it was “what he wants”. She told NME: “He wants to say thank you to everybody. He didn’t have that chance because of his illness, but now he does have the chance.”
Iommi then said that the event would “do [Ozzy] good”, telling us: “That’s what it’s all about: he wants to get out and do something.”
Despite this optimism from the Osbournes and Ozzy’s bandmates, Tool’s Maynard James Keenan said it may take “modern miracles” to get the Prince Of Darkness back on stage for one last time.
Meanwhile, Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has admitted that he is having “nightmares” and “palpitations” ahead of the band’s historic last live performance – which will see Tom Morello serve as musical director.
In other news, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has admitted that he is “gutted” not to be taking part in Black Sabbath’s final show, saying he was unaware of the event until it was too late.
The post Ozzy Osbourne says he’s “giving 120 per cent” to get ready for final show appeared first on NME.
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