BREAKING: Black Sabbath GUITARIST Tony Iommi Pi…read more.
When Black Sabbath played their final show in Birmingham back in 2017, it marked the end of an era not just for heavy metal, but for music history. For guitarist Tony Iommi, it was more than a concert. It was a bittersweet farewell to decades of brotherhood, battles, and brilliance. Now, eight years later, Iommi is opening up with heartfelt honesty about what really went on behind the scenes of that legendary night.
In a recent conversation, Iommi shared how he felt leading up to the band’s final performance particularly his concerns for longtime frontman Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy had made the decision to perform a solo set before Black Sabbath took the stage. To many fans, it seemed like a bonus. But for Iommi, it raised red flags.
“With him doing his own set which I didn’t think he should do I didn’t want him to get burnt out,” Iommi said candidly. “We were gearing up for this huge emotional night, and I was really worried it would be too much for him.”
It wasn’t just a matter of show logistics. Iommi, who has seen Ozzy through decades of highs and lows, was thinking about his friend’s health and state of mind. Ozzy has struggled with a variety of health issues in recent years, and even back then, Iommi sensed the toll that performing could take.
“I know how much Ozzy gives when he’s on stage,” he said. “But this was supposed to be about the band, about us saying goodbye together. I just didn’t want anything to take away from that.”
Despite the concerns, the final show went off with the power and precision fans expected. But not everything planned made it to the stage. Iommi revealed that they rehearsed several songs that never made the final setlist.
“There were a few we really wanted to include like ‘Symptom of the Universe’ and ‘Hole in the Sky’ but when it came down to it, we had to make tough choices,” he explained. “You can only fit so much in, and we wanted to stick with the songs that meant the most to us and the fans.”
That night, Sabbath delivered a thunderous, emotional performance of their classics War Pigs, Iron Man, Paranoid and closed out their legendary career in the very city where it all began. For Iommi, it wasn’t just about the music. It was about closing a chapter with people he’d shared everything with.
“There was a strange mix of feelings,” he said. “Relief, sadness, pride… I don’t know how to explain it. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.”
Looking back, Iommi doesn’t regret how things unfolded, but he’s clearly still reflective. “We said goodbye on our own terms. And we did it in Birmingham. That meant everything.”
Since the farewell, Iommi has stayed musically active, dabbling in solo projects and collaborations. Ozzy, though slowed by health battles, continues to make headlines with his resilience and determination to stay connected to music.
As for another Sabbath reunion?
“No,” Iommi says gently. “That was the end. I think we all knew it. But the legacy lives on. The music’s still there for anyone who wants to turn it up loud.”
In the end, Tony Iommi’s reflection isn’t just about riffs and rehearsals it’s about friendship, care, and knowing when to take a final bow.
