Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler were eager to reunite with Ozzy Osbourne since it was for charity.
“I left that to Ozzy. He’s in constant contact with Tony and Geezer. And Bill, too,” Ozzy’s wife Sharon explained in an interview with Birmingham Live about how the reunion happened. “They talk all the time.”
She continued, “Ozzy said ‘I’m going to do my goodnight gig, my farewell, and would you come up and do Sabbath with me’ He couldn’t do it on his own. And they all said yes. When they heard it was for charity, it was easy.”
“I think it’s the best metal gig ever. It’s easy when you have such good friends and friends that support you,” Sharon also said, referring to the lineup for the event. “We’ve known these guys for years and years and many of them were passed the torch by Sabbath. It goes down the line. When you need them, they come.”
Sharon further shared, “For Ozzy, it’s goodnight to his fans. The other guys in Sabbath will go on to their various projects but for Ozzy, it’s definitely farewell. Our friends want to come, and they know it’s for charity, so it’s brilliant. It’s a win-win for everybody… But especially the fans.”
Osbourne and Tony Iommi also talked to Planet Rock about Black Sabbath’s farewell show. Sharon said Ozzy’s long-time regret helped make it happen. She explained, “It’s given him something to work towards. 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.”
The farewell show is on July 5, with all proceeds going to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. The concert will feature Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, Gojira, Halestorm, Lamb of God, and Mastodon. Black Sabbath will perform with its original lineup: Ozzy, Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.
