By Roisin O’Connor
Ozzy Osbourne has said his farewell show in Birmingham with Black Sabbath 鈥渕eans everything鈥 to him, as he views the massive Villa Park gig as his 鈥渇inal encore鈥.
The Prince of Darkness will say goodbye to his fans with the original Black Sabbath lineup on Saturday (5 July). The band will be joined by a number of other heavy metal legends, including Metallica, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, and Tom Morello.
In a Q&A with communications agency Premier Comms, Osbourne, 76, said the show, titled Back to the Beginning, was a chance to 鈥渟ay thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me鈥.
鈥淚 couldn’t have done my final show anywhere else,鈥 he said of playing the gig in his hometown of Birmingham. 鈥淚 had to go back to the beginning.鈥
Osbourne also said that he was surprised by how many people had contacted him about livestreaming the concert, which had not been in the original plan.
鈥淚t seemed a great chance for people who didn’t have the opportunity to get a ticket to be able to see the show,鈥 he said.
The livestream of Back to the Beginning will be delayed by two hours from the in-arena start time, and will begin at 3pm BST. The stream will open 30 minutes prior to launching. Tickets are available to purchase here.
Playing at Villa Park is particularly significant for him, Osbourne said, as he used to go to the venue with his friends on Saturdays when a football match was being hosted and ask people 鈥渇or a shilling to watch their car鈥.
Asked about what the formidable lineup meant to him, the musician remarked: 鈥淚t means everything, I am forever in their debt for showing up for me and the fans. I can鈥檛 quite put it into words, but I feel very emotional and blessed.鈥
He concluded: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a goodbye as far as my live performances go, and what a way to go out.鈥
Speaking to The Independent this week, Alice in Chains鈥 bassist Mike Inez spoke of how hearing Black Sabbath for the first time 鈥渃hanged his life鈥, as he recalled auditioning to be in Osbourne鈥檚 solo band.
鈥淚t was all surreal to me,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 remember showing up 鈥 I was wearing a ratty LA Kings hockey jersey and jeans, and everyone else in there was in leather. So in my head I was thinking, 鈥極K, I鈥檓 never getting this f***ing gig, so I鈥檓 just gonna have a good time with it, and be able to say I got to play 鈥楥razy Train鈥 with Ozzy one time.鈥
鈥淟ittle did I know I was going to get it, and then my whole life trajectory was going to change.鈥
Metallica鈥檚 Rob Trujillo added: 鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to be part of this, to be able to show my love and respect for Black Sabbath, because it鈥檚 safe to say a lot of us wouldn鈥檛 be playing the music that we play if it wasn鈥檛 for that band.
鈥淭o be sharing this stage with Ozzy, thinking back to the days when I played backyard parties and barbecues, and to still be friends with them, it鈥檚 a blessing. This is a huge, historical, monumental experience that we鈥檙e going to have on this day in Birmingham.鈥
Read the full feature here.