Ozzy Osbourne's final Black Sabbath concert raised $190 million for charity
Osbourne, 76, has been beset by health issues, including Parkinson's, in recent years but vowed to perform one last show. The epic 'Back to the Beginning' concert at Villa Park in Birmingham saw the singer reunite with his band Black Sabbath to headline a bill that also featured Metallica, Guns N' Roses and a cavalcade of other heavy metal superstars.
It was announced before the event, which was live streamed around the world to an audience of 5.8 million, that proceeds would be split between Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.
On Instagram, Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello posted an image of Osbourne performing from a throne with the caption: ''Back to the Beginning' More than 190 million dollars will be donated to houses and hospitales [sic] for children.'
Morello added: "Boom. We set out to not just create the greatest day in the history of heavy metal."
He also thanked Osbourne for trusting him with his role, writing: 'THANKYOU [Ozzy Osbourne] for trusting me to be the Musical Director of the 'Back to the Beginning' show. It was over a year of hard work but heavy metal was the music that made me love music and it was a labor of love.'
In a five-star review of the concert, The Independent's Mark Beaumont wrote: 'Loud Aid? Well, if you were to pit the last few decades of Download festival against each other in one almighty Wall of Death, it might look something like this.
'With merging and collaborating metal acts swapping over on a revolving stage, it's a fast-spinning Lazy Susan of metal history. Yet there's precious little ego and plenty of heartfelt humility among the huge names on display. Everyone handles their Sabbath covers like sacred texts, to be splattered with their own brands of vivifying savagery but never completely chewed up and spat in the fire.'
Osbourne told The Independent in 2022 that he was determined to perform in front of a crowd for a final time despite his health issues, saying: 'I will get back on stage if it f***ing kills me, because if I can't do it then that's what's gonna happen anyway, I'm gonna f***ing die. I love to see them audiences.'
He added: 'If I have to crawl up there, I will do it. You ain't seen the last of Ozzy Osbourne, I can f***ing tell you that.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trans community praised for bravery in new film
Film-makers have praised the bravery of the trans community in Cumbria for sharing their experiences in a new documentary. I ME US chronicles the stories of those living in the county who are transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming. Mason, who features in the film, which is being screened locally in July and August, described how his family struggled with his decision to transition only for his brother to then offer him some shirts in support. "If just one person can see the film and feel more comfortable, or happy in themselves, then I've done enough," he said. Producer Debbie Sweeney, from Carlisle-based Eden Film, said there was "a lot of prejudice" which made it difficult for some people to "fit in", adding that Cumbria has "a lot of keyboard warriors". Mrs Sweeney, who previously worked as a college lecturer, said she found that LGBTQ+ students would often want to move to bigger cities because they could find a "sense of belonging" there, and not feel so visible. "Somewhere like Cumbria, there's a lot of prejudice and they maybe find it hard to fit in, so it's nice that we can produce a film like this," she said. Director Paddy Sweeney said those who took part had been brave to tell their stories on camera so candidly. He said they had filmed with someone who then called to drop out of the project around the time of President Trump's inauguration. Mr Sweeney said the participant was worried about "having their face out there", and the repercussions it may have for his job. The film is part of a heritage lottery-funded project, which was commissioned by Pride in North Cumbria (PINC) LGBT+ Youth. It is being screened for free in venues across Cumbria over July and August, including Rheged cinema in Penrith and Tullie in Carlisle. Producer and project manager at PINC, Pam Eland, said they wanted to take a snapshot of community "to get their voices heard out there". She added they were looking to organise showings of the "emotional" film worldwide. Follow BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram. North East welcomes a summer of Pride celebrations 'I'm as old as Cumbria Pride and I can't wait to go' Town celebrates first ever Pride festival Pride in North Cumbria
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Chelsea Handler Becomes Tennis Fangirl After Epic Wimbledon Rally: ‘Incredible'
Chelsea Handler Becomes Tennis Fangirl After Epic Wimbledon Rally: 'Incredible' originally appeared on Parade. Comedian Chelsea Handler is not afraid to say what's on her mind. The former Chelsea Lately host, known for her irreverent and opinionated takes on everything from marriage to becoming a dog mom, doesn't just reserve her opinions for complaints—she dishes out praise when it's deserved, too. The I'll Have What She's Having author has been documenting her European summer travels on social media. But it's Handler's reaction to an epic Wimbledon volley that's going viral a video shared from a Wimbledon battle between 38-year-old Novak Djokovic and fellow Serbian, 25-year-old Miomir Kecmanovic, the two tennis aces can be seen duking it out in what's already being called one of the most iconic volleys in Wimbledon Djokovic ultimately won the point, both athletes wowed the crowd with their relentless play—hitting one impossible shot after another. Handler reacted with a NSFW comment that perfectly captured what many fans were feeling. She wrote of Djokovic, 'Wow, he is so (expletive) incredible.' More than 2,000 of Chelsea's fans shared her sentiment. Handler wasn't the only celebrity watching the Wimbledon volley with bated breath. New Kids on the Block icon Donnie Wahlberg chimed in with, 'The GOAT.' And if Chelsea and Donnie say it, it must be true. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Chelsea Handler Becomes Tennis Fangirl After Epic Wimbledon Rally: 'Incredible' first appeared on Parade on Jul 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
On This Day: Iconic ‘60s Rock Band Announced Breakup and Left Fans Devastated
On This Day: Iconic '60s Rock Band Announced Breakup and Left Fans Devastated originally appeared on Parade. 60s rock fans were left devastated on this day in 1968 when Cream guitarist Eric Clapton announced he'd be leaving the band at the end of Cream's upcoming tour. It would be just a few months before Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce went their separate ways after Clapton, then 23, stated the band suffered from a 'loss of direction.' The breakup announcement came on the heels of the release of Wheels of Fire, the band's third Clapton later revealed he'd been ruminating on leaving the band for over a year, fans were given time to make peace with the end of the beloved rock trio, as Cream embarked on a farewell tour from October through November, culminating in their final performance on November 26 at London's Royal Albert Hall. Clapton later told Uncut Magazine in a 2012 interview, 'The workload was pretty severe. We were playing six nights a week and I lost weight until I was about nine stone and I looked like death. I was in bad shape. It wasn't so much self-abuse as self-neglect.'The singer continued, 'I was calling home to Robert Stigwood, our manager, and saying, Get me out of here – these guys are crazy. I don't know what's going on and I've had enough.' He'd always say to give it one more week.' Following the demise of Cream, Clapton went on to form the supergroup Blind Faith with Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech. He also founded Derek and the Dominos and Delaney & Bonnie before launching a successful solo career, which earned him 17 Grammy Awards. Largely thought of as the music world's first supergroup, the breakup of Cream left fans crushed. On videos of the band's farewell tour, comments reveal a shared love for the iconic '60s band. 'Cream were the band that started it all! Gawd I loved that band! The perfect storm of three musicians!' wrote one fan, while another added, 'I was 13 when this song arrived. It's 2023. I'm still saying …..are you freakin kidding me . Damn this is perfection . A masterpiece.' 'THESE DAYS WILL NEVER BE REPEATED ! JAW DROPPING !' shared another fan reminiscing in the comment section. Clapton, Baker and Bruce did reunite in 2005 for a series of concerts, including one at London's Royal Albert Hall and three at New York's Madison Square Garden. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 On This Day: Iconic '60s Rock Band Announced Breakup and Left Fans Devastated first appeared on Parade on Jul 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
