Rob Halford recently explained why he hasn’t watched Ozzy Osbourne’s final show “Back To The Beginning” yet. He shared his thoughts in an interview with Louder Sound.
The Judas Priest frontman addressed his absence from viewing the complete farewell performance when asked directly about whether he had seen the show.
When asked “Did you get to see Back To The Beginning in the end?”, Halford provided a heartfelt explanation for his decision to wait.
“I’ve seen some clips online. We didn’t get to talk after that gig, either,” Halford said. “I was really moved by his performance, but I’ll have to wait until I’m off tour to sit down and see the whole thing. I need to do it in a personal and private space, it’s not something I can do with a bunch of mates around me.”
The metal legend emphasized the emotional significance of watching Osbourne’s final performance in its entirety.
“It’ll be profound. I’m looking forward to it, but I’m still in a bit of a mist about him not being here,” he continued. “Some of those other performers were great too – Yungblud, wow. He actually really reminds me of Ozzy, in terms of personality and how he comes across.”
Halford’s emotional response reflects the deep bond between the two metal icons. This is particularly significant given the circumstances that prevented Judas Priest from participating in the farewell event.
Inkl reported that Judas Priest could not perform at the July 5 event at Villa Park in Birmingham because they were already booked for Scorpions’ 60th-anniversary show in Hannover, Germany. This scheduling conflict meant that one of Osbourne’s closest collaborators missed the historic farewell performance.
Instead of performing at the show, Judas Priest found another way to honor their longtime friend and collaborator. The band released a cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” on July 2. They later added posthumous Ozzy vocals in September, with proceeds going to charity. This tribute demonstrated the enduring musical connection between the Birmingham-born metal legends.
Halford’s grief over Osbourne’s passing remains profound, as he revealed in the same interview. “I’m still grieving the loss of him. I can’t really accept it,” he admitted. This highlights the personal impact of losing someone who had been both a friend and musical inspiration for decades.
The relationship between Halford and Osbourne spans their shared Birmingham origins and decades of touring together. This created a bond that extends far beyond their professional collaborations. Their connection represents one of heavy metal’s most enduring friendships, making Halford’s decision to watch the final show in private all the more poignant.
