Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor has shared a deeply personal tribute to Ozzy Osbourne following the legendary metal icon’s passing. He recounted the profound experience of performing at what would become Ozzy’s final show. Dailor’s memories paint a vivid picture of the historic “Back to the Beginning” concert and the weight of the moment that none of the assembled musicians could have fully anticipated.
“Ozzy was untouchable,” Dailor reflected, describing how the Prince of Darkness had been a constant presence throughout his life. “Throughout my life, he was there. I had ‘Ozzy rules’ written on every Trapper Keeper I ever had as a kid, it was on the brick wall at the end of my street, just everywhere. He’s my go-to music. Don’t know what to listen to? Put Ozzy on and I’m happy.”
For Dailor, Ozzy represented something distinctly different from Black Sabbath itself. While he respected the original band’s legacy, Ozzy’s solo career felt like a personal discovery during his formative years. “I love Black Sabbath, but as a kid that was almost like my parents’ music,” he explained. “Whereas Ozzy felt like my own discovery. In the early ’80s when I was really young, I remember going to the record store and buying Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman and actually getting a little scared! But it was fun, and it was horror in that fun way of A Nightmare On Elm Street.”
When Mastodon received the invitation to perform at the farewell concert, Dailor was stunned. “When we got asked to play Back To The Beginning, I was like, ‘Are you sure you’ve got the right band?!’ To be asked was probably the biggest honour of my whole life. I’ve played a million shows, but I’ve never had the feeling that I had running out to the drums that day.”
The concert took place on July 5, 2025, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, marking a historic gathering of heavy metal’s greatest acts. The all-star event featured Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Anthrax, and Lamb of God. The 10-hour spectacle drew approximately 42,000 fans in person. Millions more watched via livestream, creating a global moment of unity within the metal community.
Ozzy, now 76 years old and managing advanced Parkinson’s disease, performed from a specially designed bat-winged throne due to his mobility challenges. Despite his health struggles, he delivered a powerful solo set featuring classics including “I Don’t Know,” “Mr. Crowley,” “Suicide Solution,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” and “Crazy Train.” He then reunited with the original Black Sabbath lineup—Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—for the first time in over two decades. The reunion performance included iconic tracks such as “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid,” representing the band’s most essential material.
The emotional weight of the occasion was immediately apparent to everyone present. Dailor watched from the front of the stage to fully absorb the experience, knowing instinctively what the moment meant. “The feeling from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool and every other band there was: ‘We’re here for one reason, and that’s to honour our heroes and the giant oak tree that is Black Sabbath and Ozzy that all of us sprouted from.’ It still stands as prominent as ever, and will always stand as the main trunk of heavy metal.”
As Ozzy took the stage, the reality of the occasion crashed over everyone in attendance. “I knew I was going to be emotional when Ozzy played – duh, of course. As soon as his throne came up, everyone burst into tears, and the gravity of the situation started to come up. None of us thought that two weeks later he would pass.” The prescience of that moment became haunting in retrospect, as Ozzy passed away on July 22, 2025, just seventeen days after the concert.
For Dailor and the assembled musicians, there was an unspoken understanding that this would be the last opportunity to witness these songs performed by their original creator. “But you knew: this is the last time I’m going to hear any of these songs sung by him, it’s never going to happen again. This is the last time Mr. Crowley is going to happen. As soon as the organ started, it was goosebump city. I was in tears, man. There’s never going to be another Ozzy – he was our Elvis. Ozzy rules.”
The concert generated significant economic impact for the region, with the event contributing £33.8 million to the West Midlands economy. Beyond the financial figures, the show served as a charity benefit supporting organizations including The Cure Parkinson’s Trust, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. Ozzy’s final performance allowed his legacy to extend through giving back to the community.
Dailor’s tribute underscores what the “Back to the Beginning” concert ultimately represented: not merely a farewell performance, but a collective acknowledgment of one man’s immeasurable impact on rock and metal music. In choosing to perform despite his declining health, Ozzy delivered one final statement about his commitment to the music and the fans who had sustained him throughout his five-decade career. The concert film “Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow” is scheduled for theatrical release in early 2026, ensuring that this historic moment will be preserved for future generations of metal fans.
