Ozzy Osbourne: “You can’t retire from this game. It’s not a job”
In February, Ozzy Osbourne, the influential metal vocalist of Black Sabbath, cancelled his 2023 tour of the UK and Europe. At the time, he announced his retirement from touring due to his various chronic health issues. However, the Prince of Darkness didn’t leave the door completely closed.
In recent weeks, Osbourne has affirmed that, although the days of extensive touring are behind him, one-off shows will prevail. He is determined to remain active, even if it means getting “someone to wheel [him] out there.”
The metal star recently announced a new three-day Power Trip concert event in Indio, California, set to take place in October. Osbourne will be joined by AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Tool.
In a recent interview with Jack Black and Kyle Gass of Tenacious D for Metal Hammer, Osbourne explained that he never wants to retire. As long as he can sing, he will perform.
“I mean, doing a live show is what I live for,” Osbourne said. “I’ve had to cancel my European tour, but I’m determined. I’ve gotta do more gigs [even] if I have to get someone to wheel me out there. I mean, you can’t retire from this game. It’s not a job, it’s a fucking passion. I don’t know how to do anything else. The thought of sitting in my house all day… I’m a road dog, you know? I’ve been doing it fucking 55 years. It’s the best thing to have ever happened to me.”
“I remember some good gigs and I’ve done my fair share of fucking bad gigs,” he continued. “A guitar player can change his guitar. A drummer can change the drum. If my voice goes, I’m fucked. One time I was at a gig at Nassau Coliseum in New York. On the way to the gig, my voice went out. The kids were already there and I thought, ‘What the fuck am I gonna do now?’ I went out and tried to sing and they gave me a standing ovation. The kids would rather see you being bad than go home.”
When Osbourne announced his retirement from touring earlier this year, he did maintain that one-off gigs wouldn’t be off the table. “Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way,” he stated at the time. “My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.”
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