BREAKING: Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi Pa… read more.
The world is still reeling from the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic voice of Black Sabbath, who passed away just days ago at the age of 76. Now, Tony Iommi his closest friend and longtime bandmate has opened up about the final moments they shared together, revealing that Ozzy pushed himself beyond the limits of his health to perform at what would become his last-ever show.
“Ozzy held out for that night,” Iommi said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. “He wanted to give the fans one last memory one last roar. And he did it. God, he really did it.”
The final Black Sabbath concert, held earlier this month in their hometown of Birmingham, now feels almost mythical. It wasn’t billed as a farewell at the time, just a special one-off performance. But behind the scenes, those closest to Ozzy knew the truth: he wasn’t well. He’d been fighting through a storm of medical issues Parkinson’s disease, past injuries, chronic pain and yet, he insisted on going through with the show.
“He told me backstage, ‘This might be the last time I get to do this, Tone. I’ve got to make it count,’” Iommi recalled, eyes welling up. “I didn’t know what to say. I just hugged him.”
That night, Ozzy walked onto the stage with the same fire that had carried him through five decades of music. The crowd thousands of lifelong fans sang every word with him. From “War Pigs” to “Paranoid,” the atmosphere was electric, even sacred. Unbeknownst to many, they were witnessing the swan song of one of rock’s most legendary frontmen.
“There were moments during soundcheck where he looked like he couldn’t do it,” Iommi admitted. “But when the lights hit him, something switched. That was Ozzy. He lived for that moment. Even in pain, he gave everything.”
Drummer Bill Ward, who had rejoined the band for that special night, said he was stunned by Ozzy’s determination. “You could see he was hurting, but he smiled through it,” Ward shared. “It was like he was saying goodbye with every song.”
Geezer Butler, the band’s bassist and another founding member, added, “It was emotional, raw. At one point, I caught Ozzy looking at the crowd with tears in his eyes. He knew.”
Ozzy passed away five days later, surrounded by family and loved ones at home. His wife Sharon Osbourne released a simple, heart-wrenching statement: “He gave you everything he had. Even when it hurt.”
Tony Iommi, often seen as the stoic force behind Black Sabbath, struggled to find words to describe the weight of his loss. “We were more than bandmates. We were brothers. We’d been through every kind of storm together fame, addiction, fights, reunions. But we always came back to each other.”
He paused before adding, “Losing him… it’s like losing a part of myself.”
The final performance is now being prepped for official release as a live album and concert film, with proceeds going to causes Ozzy held dear, including Parkinson’s research and mental health awareness.
Fans have been leaving flowers, letters, and candles outside the venue where the concert was held. Many have written messages thanking Ozzy for being the soundtrack to their lives for being real, vulnerable, chaotic, and unapologetically himself.
In the days since his passing, clips from the concert have flooded social media. One particular moment Ozzy looking up at the sky during the final notes of “Children of the Grave” has gone viral. “This one’s for you,” he had said to the audience, voice cracking. “Thank you for loving me, even when I was a mess.”
Looking back, it was more than just a concert. It was a farewell, a gift, and a quiet goodbye wrapped in the thunder of guitars and the roar of a crowd.
“I’ll never forget that night,” Iommi said, his voice barely above a whisper. “He went out doing what he loved, surrounded by people who loved him back. What more could any of us ask for?”
As fans around the world continue to mourn the loss of the Prince of Darkness, they do so with the comfort of knowing that Ozzy Osbourne didn’t fade quietly he took his final bow under the spotlight, guitar riffs blazing, and hearts full.
One last time, just like he wanted.
