Ozzy Osbourne has downplayed the role he will play at Black Sabbath’s blockbuster final show later this summer, saying he will only be doing “little bits and pieces”.
The heavy metal legends – who forged the sound of the genre from Birmingham’s smoke-filled industrial air and Tony Iommi’s Gibson SG – are set to perform one last show in their hometown this summer, and they’ve got quite the cast joining them.
The list reads like a who’s who of metal and rock royalty, with Pantera and Sleep Token among the generations-spanning bill, which will also play host to Osbourne’s final solo set.
However, questions have been raised over the level of involvement Osbourne himself will have in the show, owing to the fact he retired from touring due to health reasons in 2023.
Now, in a new episode of Ozzy Speaks on SiriusXM, Osbourne has shed light on his prospective role in the concert, and downplayed the involvement he will have.
“I’m not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath but I am doing little bits and pieces with them,” Osbourne says (via Louder). “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.
“I am trying to get back on my feet,” he expands. “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.”
As first revealed in 2022, in the wake of some canceled solo tours, the singer has been battling Parkinson’s Disease since 2003. He was present for his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame late last year but remained seated on a bat-adorned throne during an event that saw Wolfgang Van Halen perform Ozzy songs with a star-studded band.
The role of Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward – whose own involvement in the band has been reduced due to health reasons – has also been the subject of speculation in the lead up to the event.
After all, Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Wilk featured on the band’s final album, 13and Ozzy’s solo drummer, Tommy Clufetos, has typically filled the vacant drum throne for Sabbath shows over the past decade, save for rare guest appearances.
The show’s lineup, however, offers some potential clues over how it might play out. It seems several guest musicians could perform alongside big-name acts like Metallica, Gojira, and Alice In Chains.
These include a lot of singers and drummers, such as Ghost’s Papa V Perpetua, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, and Sleep Token’s acclaimed sticksman, II. As such, it seems possible that both Sabbath members will feature infrequently, with some top-tier performers filling the gaps throughout their set.
Meanwhile, Ozzy has announced the supergroup that will feature doing his last solo performance.
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