Ozzy Osbourne’s longtime bandmate Tony Iommi is opening up about their final performance together just weeks before Osbourne’s death. The Black Sabbath guitarist, 77, shared his heartfelt memories in an interview with ITV News on July 23, calling the concert their “last goodbye.”
Getty“We think he held out to do it,” Iommi said of the July 5 reunion concert at Villa Park Stadium in Birmingham. “He’s done it and said goodbye to the fans — and that was the end of it, really.”
‘This Is Going to Be It’: Ozzy’s Determination to Perform One Last Time
Despite his health struggles, Osbourne was determined to make the performance happen, Iommi recalled. Iommi added: “I think he must have had something in his head that said, ‘Well, this is going to be it, the last thing I’m ever gonna do,’” he said. “Whether he thought he was going to die or what, I don’t know. But he really wanted to do it.”
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)Iommi noted Osbourne didn’t look well during rehearsals, and they adjusted the schedule accordingly. “They’d bring him in, he’d sit down and sing a few songs, and then we’d talk about some rubbish old times, have a laugh, and then he’d go.”
The Shock of Saying Goodbye
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)Although Osbourne’s health had declined due to Parkinson’s disease, Iommi said the news of his death on July 22 came as a complete shock.
“When I heard yesterday, it couldn’t sink in. I thought, ‘It can’t be,’” Iommi said. “I only had a text off him the day before. It just seemed unreal … surreal.”
He added, “We didn’t expect him to go that quick, really. Well, we didn’t expect him to go.”
A Legacy Etched in Rock History
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)Osbourne’s family, including his wife Sharon and their children, announced his passing in a statement, sharing that the legendary frontman was “surrounded by love.”
The July 5 Black Sabbath reunion was part of the “Back to the Beginning” festival in their hometown, and over 40,000 fans — including Jason Momoa and Steven Tyler — were there to witness the farewell. Osbourne’s appearance marked the end of an era, but his spirit and music continue to live on.
Music World Mourns as Ozzy Osbourne’s Family Shares Heartfelt Statement
(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)Tributes are pouring in from music legends and celebrities following the death of Ozzy Osbourne, the rock and heavy metal icon turned reality show star, at age 76.
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” his family said in a statement signed by wife Sharon Osbourne and their children Kelly, Jack, Aimee, as well as his son Louis from his previous marriage to Thelma Riley. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
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Friend of Ozzy Osbourne Details His One Last Goodbye