Sharon Osbourne and Tony Iommi recently caught up with Planet Rock to talk about Black Sabbath’s upcoming farewell show at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. During the conversation, Sharon revealed that one of Ozzy Osbourne’s biggest regrets over the years played a major role in making this event a reality when asked if this was a second chance for him.
“It’s given him something to work towards,” she explained. “His one regret these last years has been that he couldn’t thank people enough for what they’ve given him. So, now, it’s gonna be a relief for him that he can say thank you and do it with his mates, his brothers.”
Sharon also spoke about the deep bond between the band members, saying, “They’re all brothers. They all talk about each other, they all have a go at each other, but they’re all connected at the hip, and they started it, they’ll finish it.”
Set for July 5, the farewell show will be a charity event, with all proceeds going to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. The night promises an epic lineup, bringing together legendary and newer metal bands, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, Gojira, Halestorm, Lamb of God, and Mastodon.
Black Sabbath will hit the stage with their classic lineup: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.
Reflecting on the event, Ozzy shared, “It’s my time to go ‘Back to the Beginning’… time for me to give back to the place where I was born. How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham forever.”
The decision to reunite for this one final show came after the band members publicly discussed giving Bill Ward the proper send-off he never got during their 2016 farewell tour. Now, they’re making sure to close this chapter the right way.