Wolfgang Van Halen has announced his withdrawal from Ozzy Osbourne’s final show, citing scheduling conflicts with his band Mammoth’s upcoming tour, as reported in an interview with 101 WRIF.
Van Halen explained his decision to step back from the highly anticipated Back To The Beginning Show due to touring commitments.
“I, unfortunately, had to back out [of Back To The Beginning Show] because the Creed tour [with Wolfgang’s Mammoth as the support act] starts the day after, and I [wouldn’t] be able to pull it off — unfortunately,” Van Halen said. “I’m very excited to watch it, but I unfortunately had to back out.”
Wolfgang’s band, Mammoth, will embark on a tour with Creed on July 9th, four days after the final Sabbath show. This development comes after Sharon Osbourne previously revealed she had removed an act from the bill following a dispute with a manager.
In a recent Metal Hammer interview, Sharon Osbourne addressed the controversy surrounding the show’s lineup changes. “I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager over this celebration for Ozzy and Sabbath,” she said. “And it was probably the worst way I’ve felt in years. And I don’t care what this person says about me, thinks about it, because he doesn’t know me.”
She continued her statement with strong words about the situation. “And he’s now going around making up bullshit lies because I threw his band off the bill,” she said. “I don’t care what people say. Because do you know what? I don’t love them. I care about people who love me, what they say about me. You can’t care what an industry says, because you don’t love them, so how can it hurt you? It doesn’t.”
The withdrawal highlights the complex scheduling challenges surrounding what promises to be one of rock music’s most significant farewell events.
Loudwire reported that the “Back to the Beginning” show is scheduled for Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, marking the final performance for both Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. The timing conflict becomes clearer when considering that Consequence confirmed Mammoth’s commitment to open for Creed on their “Summer of ’99” tour begins immediately the day after this historic farewell concert.
Wolfgang Van Halen’s connection to the Osbourne legacy runs deeper than just this missed performance. Rock 103 Columbus noted that Wolfgang had the honor of participating in Ozzy Osbourne’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction earlier this year, highlighting the deep personal and familial ties his family maintains with both Ozzy and Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi.
The scheduling conflicts affecting this farewell show extend beyond Wolfgang Van Halen’s situation. Vice revealed that Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford also expressed regret about not being able to participate in the farewell show due to conflicting concert commitments. Sharon Osbourne even offered to fly Halford to Birmingham for a special appearance, but he declined, feeling it would be too risky for his other professional obligations.
Fans have questioned the timing of Van Halen’s withdrawal, noting that the Creed tour begins on July 9th. This raises doubts about the scheduling conflict explanation and fuels speculation about Sharon Osbourne’s earlier comments regarding lineup disputes.
