SHARON OSBOURNE: ‘It’s Going To Take A Lot Of Physical Energy For OZZY’ To Sing At Villa Park Concert – BLABBERMOUTH.NET
Sharon Osbourne spoke to Birmingham Live about BLACK SABBATH’s upcoming reunion concert, which will take place on July 5 in the band’s original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom.Ozzy Osbourne and the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — will perform one last time as part a fundraising event at Villa Park, featuring a host of bands they inspired, including METALLICA, PANTERA, SLAYER, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.The concert, dubbed “Back To The Beginning”, was announced at Villa Park on Wednesday (February 5) by Sharon and Tony.Proceeds from the show will support Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.The concert will mark the first time that Osbourne, Iommi, Butler and Ward have played together in 20 years.Ozzy, who revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, will play a short solo set before joining his SABBATH bandmates for the show’s finale, marking his last-ever concert.Asked what had to happen to make the SABBATH reunion possible, Sharon told Birmingham Live: “I left that to Ozzy. He’s in constant contact with Tony and Geezer. And Bill too. They talk all the time.”Ozzy said ‘I’m going to do my goodnight gig, my farewell, and would you come up and do SABBATH with me’,” she explained. “He couldn’t do it on his own. And they all said yes. When they heard it was for charity, it was easy.”Regarding the all-star lineup of bands that will perform at the concert, Sharon said: “I think it’s the best metal gig ever. It’s easy when you have such good friends and friends that support you. We’ve known these guys for years and years and many of them were passed the torch by SABBATH. It goes down the line. When you need them, they come.””For Ozzy, it’s goodnight to his fans,” she added. “The other guys in SABBATH will go on to their various projects but for Ozzy, it’s definitely farewell.”Our friends want to come, and they know it’s for charity, so it’s brilliant. It’s a win-win for everybody… But especially the fans.”Addressing Ozzy’s health issues and how they might affect his ability to perform in July, Sharon said: “It’s going to take a lot of physical energy for Ozzy. It takes a lot for someone with Parkinson’s. But we feel so proud of all Ozzy has achieved, and all he’s overcome. I’m proud of him, and I’m happy for him.”He’s overwhelmed. He’s very overwhelmed by the response of his friends. He said, ‘Wow, they’re doing this for me?'”When you’ve got your peers, and your friends with you, there’s nothing bigger. Well, aside from fans, of course. They come first.”Earlier in the week, Ozzy discussed his health on his SiriusXM radio show. “I have made it to 2025,” he said. “I can’t walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I’m still alive.””I may be moaning that I can’t walk but I look down the road and there’s people that didn’t do half as much as me and didn’t make it,” he added.On Wednesday, Sharon told BBC News about Ozzy: “He’s doing great. He’s doing really great. He’s so excited about this, about being with the guys again and all his friends. It’s exciting for everyone.”According to Sharon, Ozzy, who paused touring “for now” in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery and rescheduled his “No More Tours 2″ shows from going ahead several times because of illness, the pandemic and logistical issues, will not play any more shows after the Villa Park event.”Ozzy didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there’s no been no full stop,” she explained. “This is his full stop.”In addition, there will be a performance by a “supergroup of musicians” including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS ‘N’ ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH) and Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).”It’s an endless amount of people,” said Sharon. “They’re going to be doing some SABBATH songs, some Ozzy songs, and they’ll all mix together. Different little groups will be coming on, but they’re all icons.”The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.”For Ozzy right now, it’s definitely: ‘I love you and good night’,” Sharon told Reuters.She added that Ozzy was doing well and excited about the gig. “It’s stimulated him,” she said. “He’s very, very excited and very thankful that he can do it.”Tickets will go on sale on February 14.BLACK SABBATH is considered a pioneer of heavy metal and was formed in 1968 in Aston, Birmingham.BLACK SABBATH has sold over 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006, awarded a Lifetime Ivor Novello Songwriting Award in 2015 and were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.The band has a star on the Broad Street Walk Of Stars in Birmingham, alongside individual stars in their own right, together with a bench in their honor.In February 2017, SABBATH finished “The End” tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet’s groundbreaking 49-year career.”The End” was SABBATH’s last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled “13”, and the subsequent tour to promote it.The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.”13″ was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, Osbourne and Butler all playing together.Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced 13 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn’t physically up to the task.All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its final reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an “unsignable” contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced “13” LP and extensive international touring without him. 7.5/10 8/10 8.5/10
