Ozzy Osbourne To Not Perform Full Set At Black Sabbath's Farewell Gig Due To Health Constraints

Yahoo

17-02-2025

Ozzy Osbourne is scaling back on his performance at the Black Sabbath farewell gig amid his ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease.
The rock legend confessed that he will only be doing "little bits and pieces" and pieces at the show when the famed metal band reconvenes in July for a final performance.
Ozzy Osbourne's wife, Sharon Osbourne, recently disclosed that his ailing health condition has affected his mobility.
Ozzy will not perform a full set at Black Sabbath's July farewell gig, titled "Back To The Beginning."
The singer opened up about his performance at the concert in his "Ozzy Speaks" show, where he confessed that he'll only be doing "little bits and pieces."
"I'm not planning on doing a set with Black Sabbath but I am doing little bits and pieces with them," the Prince of Darkness shared, per the Daily Mail. "I am doing what I can where I feel comfortable."
The all-day heavy metal concert at Villa Park is a charity initiative as proceeds from the show will be donated to several Parkinson-related charities, including Cure Parkinson's, the Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Acorn Children's Hospice, a Children's Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
It will be the first time in 20 years that the original members of Black Sabbath will come together to perform. The event will also feature a dozen bands, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, and Anthrax.
The show will also see a "supergroup" performance comprising members of Limp Bizkit, Van Halen, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Faith No More.
It comes after Sharon disclosed that Ozzy's walking ability has been adversely impacted amid his battle with Parkinson's disease.
Sharon, who has been the rockstar's primary caregiver since his diagnosis, however, noted that his singing voice is "as good as ever."
"He's very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this," Sharon told The Sun of her husband's final show.
"Parkinson's is a progressive disease. It's not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body, and it's affected his legs," she continued. "But his voice is as good as it's ever been."
Ozzy disclosed he had been diagnosed with the brain disorder in 2020 after suffering a fall the previous year. He has reportedly undergone seven surgeries in the past five years, including a fourth spinal surgery in September 2023.
Following his social media announcement that the group would reconvene for a final performance, Ozzy shared a health update with fans amid reports he's struggling to walk, per the Daily Mail.
Speaking on SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard, he said, "You know what, I go on about the way I can't walk and I can't do this, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all of my complaining, I'm still alive."
He continued, "I may be moaning about how I can't walk as well, but as I look down the road, there's people that didn't do half as much as me, and they didn't make it. I'm trying to get back on my feet."
In a chat with the BBC, Sharon opened up about Ozzy's excitement at performing again but shared that it'll definitely be his last show.
"He's doing great. He's doing really great," Sharon told the news outlet. "He's so excited about this, about being with the guys again and all his friends. It's exciting for everyone."
"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 said. "This is his full stop."
Ozzy previously opened up about what a final gig would mean to him, explaining that if he got the chance to play one final show, it would be to repay a debt of gratitude he owed to his fans for their support through the years.
"That's one of the things I've been the most f-cking pissed off at: I never got the chance to say goodbye or thank you," he told Rolling Stone UK. "Because my fans are what it's all about. If I can just do a few gigs… They've been loyal to me for f-cking years. They write to me, they know all about my dogs. It's my extended family really, and they give us the lifestyle we have. For whatever reason, that's my goal to work to. To do those shows."
He added: "If I can't continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, 'Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.' That's what I'm working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I'll die a happy man."