Ozzy Osbourne is reuniting with his band Black Sabbath for one last show.
Together they’ll headline “The Back to the Beginning” show on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Osbourne’s hometown.
“It’s my time to go back to the beginning … time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” Osbourne said in a statement. “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham forever.”
OZZY OSBOURNE NOTE STARTED BLACK SABBATH, BAND MEMBER RECALLS
Osbourne was the frontman for Black Sabbath during the 1970s, known for his “Prince of Darkness” nickname and his rock and roll antics.
He’ll perform his own solo set before joining Black Sabbath original members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, the first time they’ll be together for a performance in 20 years.
“It’s my time to go back to the beginning … time for me to give back to the place where I was born.”
The event’s musical director, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, said, “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”
The all-day event will also feature a host of major metal bands, including Metallica, Slayer and Alice In Chains, with more names to be announced shortly.
Proceeds from the show will go to charities including Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
Osbourne’s wife, Sharon Osbourne, told BBC News the singer is “doing great. He’s doing really great. He’s so excited about this, about being with the guys again and all his friends. It’s exciting for everyone.”
She noted that this would be his final concert, saying, “Ozzy didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there’s no been no full stop. This is his full stop.”
Osbourne has been battling a series of health issues over the past few years, including a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. In 2019, he suffered a fall that aggravated an old spinal injury, requiring a number of intensive surgeries.
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In 2023, Osbourne announced he was retiring from touring, explaining that he was no longer “physically capable” of traveling as much as his tour schedule demanded.
On an episode of his SiriusXM show “Ozzy Speaks” last year, he reflected on his legacy, saying he still wanted to perform.
“I want to still carry on, you know? I can’t redo what I’ve done, but I wasn’t ready to throw the towel in when I did,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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