Sharon Osbourne and Tony Iommi recently joined Planet Rock for a chat about Black Sabbath’s upcoming farewell concert at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. During the chat, Sharon mentioned that Ozzy Osbourne’s lingering regret over the years played a big part in making the event happen when asked whether it was a second chance for him.
“It’s given him something to work towards,” she explained. “His one regret these last years has been that he couldn’t thank people enough for what they’ve given him. So, now, it’s gonna be a relief for him that he can say thank you and do it with his mates, his brothers.”
Sharon also touched on the bond between the band members, saying, “They’re all brothers. They all talk about each other, they all have a go at each other, but they’re all connected at the hip, and they started it, they’ll finish it.”
The farewell performance is scheduled for July 5, with all earnings going to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. The night will bring together a mix of legendary and newer metal bands, with confirmed acts including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, Gojira, Halestorm, Lamb of God, and Mastodon.
Black Sabbath will take the stage with its classic lineup: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.
Ozzy shared his thoughts on the event, saying, “It’s my time to go ‘Back to the Beginning’… time for me to give back to the place where I was born. How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham forever.”
The decision to reunite came after the band members publicly discussed doing one last show with Bill Ward to bring their journey to a proper close last year. Ward was not part of the band’s farewell tour in 2016.
