OZZY OSBOURNE Aiming to Sing Five Songs During Live Farewell Performance

Health concerns continue to loom over legendary heavy metal frontman Ozzy Osbourne as he prepares for what’s being billed as his final live performance this summer. The 76-year-old icon, often referred to as the ‘Prince Of Darkness’, will take the stage on July 5th at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK for ‘Back To The Beginning’, a farewell celebration featuring a one-night-only reunion of the original Black Sabbath lineup.

This monumental event will also serve as a star-studded tribute to both Sabbath and Osbourne’s solo catalog, with a massive lineup of metal royalty scheduled to perform.

But questions remain about Ozzy’s ability to physically take the stage. A fall in 2019 during a late-night bathroom trip dislodged previously inserted steel rods from a 2003 ATV accident, leading to further surgeries and nerve damage that severely impacted his balance and mobility. Compounded by a long-standing battle with Parkinson’s disease, Osbourne officially retired from full touring in 2023.

Although he has made brief, assisted appearances onstage in recent years, concerns reignited following his absence from the performance portion of his Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame solo induction in October 2024. Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan, who is also scheduled to appear at the farewell show, voiced his doubts in a recent interview:

“…I think for me, seeing Ozzy moving around at that event, the idea of him playing a show at all, if we’re being honest… I don’t know what kind of modern miracles we’ll come up with to get him on stage to do the songs, but this is gonna be a challenge for them.”

Despite those worries, Ozzy has committed to a “heavy training regimen,” as revealed on his ‘Ozzy Speaks’ SiriusXM show last week. He also acknowledged that his performance may be limited to “little bits and pieces” of songs, rather than full versions. Zakk Wylde, his longtime guitarist, confirmed that Osbourne plans to perform while seated on a throne.

During a recent appearance on ‘Loudwire Nights’, Sammy Hagar—who will also be performing—shared that Ozzy intends to sing five of his own songs at the show:

“I chose to do ‘No More Tears’ and Tom [Morello] goes, ‘Oh, that would be great.’ Then he comes back and says, ‘Guess what? Ozzy’s going to try and sing five songs and he wants to sing ‘No More Tears.’ I said, okay, ‘Flying High Again,’ and he goes, ‘You got it.’”

The event’s tribute jam session will be led by Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), featuring a stacked list of metal legends and collaborators. Here’s the breakdown of who’s appearing:

Main Performers:

• Metallica
• Guns N’ Roses
• Slayer
• Tool
• Pantera
• Gojira
• Halestorm
• Alice In Chains
• Lamb Of God
• Anthrax
• Mastodon
• Rival Sons

Jam Session Participants:

• Andrew Watt
• Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins)
• Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
• Danny Carey (Tool)
• David Draiman (Disturbed)
• David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth)
• Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses)
• Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit)
• Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)
• Jake E. Lee (Red Dragon Cartel, ex-Ozzy Osbourne)
• Jonathan Davis (Korn)
• KK Downing (KK’s Priest, ex-Judas Priest)
• Mike Bordin (Faith No More/Ozzy Osbourne)
• Papa V Perpetua (Ghost)
• Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot)
• Sammy Hagar (ex-Van Halen)
• Slash (Guns N’ Roses)
• II (Sleep Token)
• Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)
• Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
• Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe)
• Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth WVH, ex-Van Halen)

‘Back To The Beginning’ is shaping up to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for metal fans—an emotional farewell and celebration of a true legend. Whether or not Ozzy can make it through his set remains to be seen, but his determination to give fans one last moment in the spotlight speaks volumes.

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