Ozzy Osbourne gives update on farewell Black Sabbath gig after rock star pal reveals doubts he’ll show up
OZZY Osbourne has given fans an update on his farewell Black Sabbath gig this summer.
The legendary rocker, 76, who is married X Factor icon Sharon, 71, is getting ready to bow out of touring forever.
Ozzy has had a number health issues over the years which have prevented him going back out on tour.
The rocker and his band Black Sabbath will headline their final gig on their home turf in the summer.
The heavy metal group will play at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5, as part of the Back To The Beginning festival.
Along with Ozzy, the show will reunite the original band members – Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward – for the first time in 20 years.
Speaking about the final gig, Ozzy candidly said:: “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”
The gig will also feature sets from other huge heavy metal bands, including Metallica, Slayer, and Pantera.
But Ozzy’s poor health means he won’t be able to play a full set.
“We’re only playing a couple of songs each.
“I don’t want people thinking ‘we’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath.”
HEALTH ISSUES
Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease back in 2019 and went public with his diagnosis the following year.
As well as mobility issues, the condition has caused him to suffer nerve pain, depression and blood clots.
And, last year, the Black Sabbath rocker underwent the last in a series of ops after a fall from a toilet in 2019 dislodged metal rods in his back from a nearly-fatal quad bike crash in 2003.
What is Parkinson's disease?
PARKINSON’S is a progressive neurological condition.
This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time.
People with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine in their brain because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working.
Around 145,000 people live with Parkinson’s in the UK.
It’s the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.
Symptoms start to appear when the brain can’t make enough dopamine to control movement properly.
This usually happens around the age of 50, but some people might see the first signs in their 40s.
There are over 40 symptoms, but the three main ones are:
- A tremor (shaking)
- Slowness of movement
- Rigidity (muscle stiffness)
There are several different treatments, therapies and support available to help manage the condition.
Source: Parkinson’s UK
Asked about the move, Ozzy said: “I’ll take one day at a time because I can’t make that much of a plan.
“Whatever I plan gets changed. I can’t travel yet.”
Ozzy said this fourth op was the last one he believed his body could handle. He said: “It’s going to be the final surgery, because I can’t do it any more.
“Regardless of the way it ends up, I can’t.”
He added: “I walked upstairs today for the first time in a while, and my feet feel like I’ve got diving boots on.”
Speaking to the Guardian, Ozzy said: “You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end.”