Ozzy Osbourne explains retirement decision amid Black Sabbath farewell: “I don’t want to die in a hotel room”
In light of the upcoming Black Sabbath farewell show to be staged on July 5th, Ozzy Osbourne has revealed in a personal interview exactly why he is giving up his life in the limelight.
Speaking to The Guardian, Osbourne opened up about his declining health amid his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Recently, friend and Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan commented that, given Osbourne’s ailments, it may have to take “modern miracles” to pull the upcoming show off. Nevertheless, Tool are still set to appear at Villa Park alongside Black Sabbath this summer.
Ozzy has been trying to say goodbye for a while now. In 2019, he caught pneumonia twice while on what his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, insisted was his farewell tour. Then, he caught an infection. He had to get “a thing put in the vein in my arm to feed in IV shots of them.” Six years later, it’s still attached to his body.
European dates were later postponed. To make matters worse for the musician, in February 2019, he groggily aimed for his bed in the night, missed, and landed on the floor in the dark on his neck. He already had existing damage to a neck vertebra from a 2003 quad bike accident, so extreme measures were needed, and fast. Two metal plates were put in either side of his spine, but the screws became loose, creating bone fragments and lesions.
Sharon recounted this with discomfort: “Five operations later, it just fucked his body. It was torturous for him: Parkinson’s and damage to his spine. It’s just been horrendous.” Though the musician continued to work and release albums, he was depressed. According to The Guardian, at his lowest, he was in so much discomfort that he prayed to die in his sleep.
Sharon’s idea was to stage the final farewell show for charity in his hometown of Birmingham. The bill grows daily, though for those confirmed, it stands as follows: Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Mastodon, Tool; members of Judas Priest, Limp Bizkit, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megadeth, Van Halen, Ghost, and Faith No More.
Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello is the event’s musical director. He reports that “there are some pretty great surprises that are not posted anywhere.”
What comes after the gig, when the final confetti piece is swept away and the final light is switched off? A life of simple pleasures, Ozzy confirms. “I’d love to say ‘never say never’, but after the last six years or so … it is time.”
He recounted the chaos he has lived through in the last half a century: “I lived on the road for 50-odd years, and I’ve kind of got used to not picking up my bags and getting on the bus again. I don’t smoke dope or do any of the rock star lifestyle any more. I’m kind of like a homebody. I never go out. I never hang out in bars – I don’t drink. So what the fuck is out there for me? I hate going shopping with my wife. I feel like stabbing myself in the neck after half an hour,” he mused comically.
All this to say – it’s time to close the door on this chapter, once and for all. “It’s time for me to spend some time with my grandkids, I don’t want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.”
Despite the continued hype for the show, former Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar has confirmed that Ozzy Osbourne will only sing five solo songs. Whatever he can give on the day, the legendary musician aims to go out with a bang.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.