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‘Four kids from Aston' – Black Sabbath members bid farewell to Ozzy Osbourne

‘Four kids from Aston' – Black Sabbath members bid farewell to Ozzy Osbourne

Yahoo2 days ago
Black Sabbath bassist Terence 'Geezer' Butler has said he is 'so glad' the band reunited with Ozzy Osbourne one final time, just weeks before the singer's death at the age of 76.
The music superstar's death was announced in a statement to the PA news agency saying he was 'with his family and surrounded by love'.
In a post on Instagram, Butler paid tribute to his long-time bandmate and friend, reflecting on their final performance together during a farewell concert at Birmingham's Villa Park earlier this month.
'Thanks for all those years- we had some great fun. 4 kids from Aston- who'd have thought, eh?' he captioned an Instagram post.
'So glad we got to do it one last time, back in Aston. Love you.'
The emotional tribute came as bandmates Bill Ward and Tony Iommi also expressed their grief.
Iommi, the band's guitarist, said he was 'devastated' by the news.
'It's just such heartbreaking news that I can't really find the words, there won't ever be another like him,' he wrote on Instagram.
'Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother.'
Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you're forever in my heart. Deepest condolences to Sharon and all family members. RIP Sincere regrets to all the fans. Never goodbye. Thank you forever. Bill Ward pic.twitter.com/2HSaIZfkX2
— Bill Ward (@billwarddrums) July 22, 2025
Ward, Black Sabbath's drummer, posted a photo of himself and Osbourne on X, writing: 'Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls… no, you're forever in my heart.'
Earlier this month, Osbourne bid farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion, telling thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park – a stone's throw from where the band was formed in 1968 – that it was 'so good to be on this stage' as he performed his last set from a large black throne.
A family statement said: 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.'
Singer Yungblud, who performed Changes at the concert on July 5 with a recording of the live cover released for charity, paid tribute to Osbourne, calling him 'the greatest of all time'.
Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members were the last to appear on stage as part of the star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler)
Bands including Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N' Roses were on the lineup, and there were messages of thanks from other celebrities including Jack Black, Ricky Gervais and Dolly Parton.
In an Instagram post, the singer, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, shared photos of the moment he gave the late heavy metal singer a cross on a necklace, similar to the one Osbourne had previously given to him.
He wrote: 'I didn't think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room.
'But as it is written with legends, they seem to know things that we don't. I will never forget you – you will be in every single note I sing and with me every single time I walk on stage.
'Your cross around my neck is the most precious thing I own. You asked me once if there was anything you could do for me and as I said then and as I will say now for all of us the music was enough. You took us on your adventure – an adventure that started it all.
'I am truly heartbroken. You were the greatest of all time.'
Sir Elton John described Osbourne as a 'huge trailblazer' who 'secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods'.
'He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods – a true legend,' Sir Elton wrote on Instagram, adding: 'He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met. I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love. Elton xx.'
Osbourne's theatrical stage presence, including once biting off the head of a bat and styling himself as the Prince of Darkness, marked him out as a controversial figure.
Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3 1948, in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs, including factory work, before teaming up with school friend Butler in several bands.
Black Sabbath went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, selling more than 75 million albums worldwide.
The group were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 and Osbourne was added for a second time last year.
He rose to further fame alongside his wife Sharon – whom he married in 1982 and with whom he has three children, Aimee, Jack and Kelly – through their MTV reality TV series The Osbournes.
In 2020, Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery.
He had a fall at home in 2019, which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003, stopping his No More Tours 2 shows from going ahead in Europe and the UK.
The tour had previously been rescheduled several times because of illness, the Covid-19 pandemic and logistical issues.
He told Good Morning America in January 2020 that it was discovered he had the neurodegenerative disorder after a fall.
He said: 'I did my last show New Year's Eve at The Forum. Then I had a bad fall. I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves and I found out that I have a mild form.'
He and wife Sharon, who was also his manager, met when she was 18 and they married on July 4 1982 in Hawaii.
Daughter Kelly, 40, duetted with her father on the UK number one single Changes in 2003.
He released his 12th studio album Ordinary Man in 2020, followed by Patient Number 9 in 2022, which went to number three and two in the UK charts, respectively.
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Ozzy Osbourne was ‘frustrated' during Black Sabbath's farewell concert: bandmate
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Ozzy Osbourne was ‘frustrated' during Black Sabbath's farewell concert: bandmate

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Zakk Sabbath is paying tribute to Ozzy Osbourne on tour this fall. Get tickets
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New York Post

timean hour ago

  • New York Post

Zakk Sabbath is paying tribute to Ozzy Osbourne on tour this fall. Get tickets

Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. There's no replacing Ozzy Osbourne. The inimitable Black Sabbath frontman, who helped define and popularize heavy metal, passed away at 76 on July 22, 2025. A few weeks before his death, the 'Prince of Darkness' headlined his final concert, 'Back to the Beginning,' in his Birmingham hometown for 45,000 adoring fans. Over two sets — one with the members of Black Sabbath and another comprised of solo tracks — Osbourne performed ten classic songs including 'Paranoid,' 'Iron Man,' 'War Pigs,' 'Mr. Crowley' and 'Crazy Train.' And, while the world will never see another frontman quite like Ozzy, Zakk Sabbath will pay his respects to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group on tour with special guest tribute acts Bonfire (AC/DC), Use Your Illusion (Guns 'N Roses) and Dark Label Society (formed by a Black Label Society member) this fall and winter. That includes Tri-State-based concerts at Waterloo, NY's The Vine at Del Lago Resort and Casino on Saturday, Nov. 22. After that, they hit Brooklyn's Warsaw on Sunday, Nov. 23 and Atlantic City's Caesar's on Saturday, Nov. 29. Zakk Wylde's faithful recreation of Black Sabbath is made up of metal vets like Danzig drummer Joey Castillo and Black Label Society bassist John 'JD' DeServio as well as Wylde himself, who served as Osbourne's guitarist for years and shared the stage with him at the 'Back To The Beginning' concert. 'Thank you for blessing the world with your kindness [and] greatness Oz — you brought light into so many lives [and] made the world a better place — you lived [with] the heart of a lion — I thank the Good Lord every day for blessing my life with you in it. I love you Oz. Beyond forever,' the 58-year-old shared via Instagram over video of the two jamming together in 2010. At all Zakk Sabbath shows, the group typically performs 13 blistering renditions of tracks originated by Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler. One recent gig in Munich included 'N.I.B.,' 'War Pigs,' 'Supernaut,' 'Snowblind' and 'Behind The Wall of Sleep' among others, according to Set List FM. For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about Zakk Sabbath's 2025 tour below. Zakk Sabbath tour schedule 2025 A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below. Zakk Sabbath set list On March 23, Zakk Sabbath headlined at Munich, DE's Backstage Werk. According to Set List FM, here's what they faithfully recreated onstage that evening. 01.) 'Supernaut' (Black Sabbath cover) 02.) 'Snowblind' (Black Sabbath cover) 03.) 'Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes' (Black Sabbath cover) 04.) 'Tomorrow's Dream' (Black Sabbath cover) 05.) 'Wicked World' (Black Sabbath cover) 06.) 'Fairies Wear Boots' (Black Sabbath cover) 07.) 'Into the Void' (Black Sabbath cover) 08.) 'Children of the Grave' (Black Sabbath cover) 09.) 'Lord of This World' (Black Sabbath cover) 10.) 'Hand of Doom' (Black Sabbath cover) 11.) 'Behind the Wall of Sleep' (Black Sabbath cover) 12.) 'N.I.B.' (Black Sabbath cover) 13.) 'War Pigs' (Black Sabbath cover) Zakk Sabbath new music On Sept. 17, 2024, Zakk Sabbath released 'Greatest Riffs,' featuring a collection of Black Sabbath's most well-known songs. For those wondering, they sound simply smashing. Note perfect, spot-on vocals and just the right amount of attitude seal the deal here. To see if your favorite Sabbath classics made the album, check out the track listing below: 01.) 'The Wizard' 02.) 'N.I.B.' 03.) 'Iron Man' 04.) 'Fairies Wear Boots' 05.) 'War Pigs' 06.) 'Sweet Leaf' 07.) 'Into The Void' 08.) 'Solitude' Zakk Sabbath special guests Curious what Sabbath's support acts look and sound like? To get you up to speed, here are videos of each group. Bonfire (AC/DC tribute band) Use Your Illusion (Guns 'N Roses tribute band) Dark Chapel (formed by a longtime member of Black Label Society) Heavy rockers on tour in 2025 There's never been a better time to rock. While many huge metal groups are heading out on tour this year, we've whittled our list down to five of our favorites you won't want to miss live. • System of a Down • Judas Priest with Alice Cooper • Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine • Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden • David Lee Roth of Van Halen Who else is on the road? Take a look at this list of all the biggest classic rockers on tour in 2025 to find the show that best suits your sensibilities. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change

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