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Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi shares concerns over Ozzy Osbourne performing again for final ever show amid his health woes

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Tony Iommi, the guitarist from Black Sabbath, has confessed that he’s unsure about what will transpire when Ozzy Osbourne rejoins the band on stage.

The original quartet comprising Ozzy, Tony, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward are set to perform together again after a gap of twenty years – this time marking what could be their final concert.

On July 5th, the event “Back to the Beginning” happens at Villa Park in Birmingham. This concert features performances by Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, and Gojira.

However, Tony voiced his apprehension, admitting that he’s uneasy due to the uncertainties surrounding Ozzy’s health issues.

In an interview with Music Week prior to the event, Tony expressed: “If everything goes well, this could turn out to be a significant and monumental achievement. What’s concerning me is the uncertainty.

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In typical scenarios where we embark on tours, we would practice, get familiar, and handle everything ourselves. However, for this particular occasion, there are numerous interconnected aspects involved. So, we’re uncertain about the outcome.

Usually, Ozzy is quite active, but during this performance, he’s not expected to be roaming about. It’s unclear whether he’ll be standing or seated on a throne or something else entirely.

Ozzy Osbourne has declared his intention to take the stage for what’s being advertised as his farewell performance in July, disregarding worries about his deteriorating health.

As an ardent admirer, over these last five years, I’ve witnessed my beloved rock icon endure an astounding seven surgeries. Among them was a fourth spinal procedure in September 2023. Behind the scenes, he’s been quietly fighting Parkinson’s disease since 2003.

Regardless of my ongoing health challenges, I, as a dedicated follower, find myself echoing Ozzy’s resilient words to The Guardian: “I will make it, and I will give my all. All I can promise is that I will show up.

Even though Ozzy Osbourne is adamant about appearing on stage, Maynard James Keenan of Tool has voiced his skepticism regarding whether or not the rocker will truly show up.

He expressed about the performances, which his band will also participate in: “I’m hesitant to declare, ‘Absolutely! He’s definitely going to perform’. I’m not sure what extraordinary solutions we’ll conjure to get him on stage to sing the songs, but this is certainly going to be a tough task. So, I feel privileged to be involved, but I’m also preparing for potential difficulties while keeping my fingers crossed for success.

However, Ozzy understands the strain the concert may cause and has been gearing up both physically and mentally for it. His wife, Sharon, points out that this performance serves as a motivating factor, making it worthwhile for him to rise each day.

He elaborated on his preparation, stating: “I engage in weightlifting and cycling, there’s someone living with me who helps train me. It’s challenging – I’ve been sidelined for quite a while. Being bedridden for so long weakens you, and regaining strength is like starting from scratch again.

The singer has also enlisted a vocal coach to ensure his voice is up to scratch for the big day.

Even though Ozzy exhibits a lot of excitement, he acknowledged that his activity level during performances might be limited, possibly involving him seated, due to additional health concerns such as difficulties in mobility and blood clots in his legs, which contribute to high blood pressure problems.

Back in 2020, Ozzy candidly spoke about his health, admitting he is in ‘unbelievable pain 24/7’.

More recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s, the musician acknowledges that a fall in 2019 worsened a neck injury he sustained in a quad bike accident back in 2003.

At that point in time, Ozzy explained that the severe nerve damage was the cause for him cancelling the North American part of his No More Tours 2 tour, enabling him to pursue additional treatment in Switzerland instead.

In simpler terms, Ozzy stated to The Sun, “Given a preference, I’d rather have Parkinson’s over my current neck issue, as I’ve been bedridden for a year.

Initially, a hand infection caused me to halt my journey. Later, I contracted pneumonia, followed by a fall, then underwent surgery. Each of these events has left me feeling frustrated as I navigate through recovery today.

The announcement for his 2025 concert, which was initially made public in February, took place at the concert venue, Villa Park, with Ozzy’s wife Sharon and the band’s guitarist Tony Iommi present during the big reveal.

The show will feature Ozzy, Tommy, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward.

In the early ’70s, this band was one of the first to popularize heavy metal music, producing chart-topping songs like War Pigs, Paranoid, and Iron Man.

Black Sabbath hasn’t performed with its original members since their concert together in 2005; instead, they have had partial reunions but not a full reunion of the classic band lineup.

Legendary acts spanning the rock and heavy metal genres are set to perform, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Gojira, Halestorm, and Mastodon on stage.

The all-day event will also feature a supergroup of musicians.

Confirmed artists for the event are Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins, David Draiman of Disturbed, Duff McKagan, Frank Bello from Anthrax, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis from Korn, KK Downing and Lzzy Hale from Halestorm.

The earnings generated from the performance will be distributed evenly among these three organizations: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, as well as Acorn Children’s Hospice, which is a children’s hospice affiliated with Aston Villa.

In 2020, it was announced that Ozzy, the energetic lead singer who departed from the band back in 1979 due to struggles with substance abuse and went on to establish a thriving solo career, revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

As an ardent fan, I’m thrilled to be part of the grand spectacle that honors the genuine architects of heavy metal music. The evening promises a brief solo performance by the legendary Ozzy Osbourne, followed by his final joint appearance with Black Sabbath. It’s going to be an unforgettable moment!

He declared, expressing his thoughts thusly: ‘Now is the moment for me to repay the city of my birth. What a fortunate man I am to be able to accomplish this with the assistance of those I cherish. Birmingham, indeed, is the cradle of metal music.’

Originating from Birmingham in 1968 and subsequently achieving immense success as one of the world’s top metal bands, Black Sabbath has sold more than 75 million albums globally throughout their illustrious career.

Black Sabbath’s impact and significance in shaping the direction of heavy metal music remains just as crucial now as it was back in the early 1970s, paving numerous paths for the genre to follow.

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2025-06-12 03:51

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