Ozzy Osbourne is undergoing “endurance training” in preparation for his last Black Sabbath performance.
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The Prince of Darkness will take the stage for his final performance at Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5.
Ozzy Osbourne is undergoing physical training in preparation for his final performance.
The Prince of Darkness will take the stage for the last time, both as a solo artist and alongside his legendary heavy metal band, Black Sabbath, at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5.
In a conversation with his friend, Billy Morrison of Billy Idol’s band, on SiriusXM, Osbourne shared that he’s engaging in “intense training” for this final show. He noted that returning to the stage after several surgeries feels like “starting from scratch.”
When Morrison inquired about his training routine, Osbourne explained: “It’s endurance training. The first thing to go when you’re laid up is your stamina, so believe it or not, I’m doing two sets of three-minute walks and weight training. I’m going and going, you know?”
He elaborated, saying: “I’m waking up in my body. Three minutes might seem easy to you, but for me, after recovering from numerous surgeries, it’s a real challenge.”
Black Sabbath’s farewell tour took place between 2016 and 2017, and Osbourne’s last full solo performance was at Ozzfest at The Forum in Inglewood, California, on December 31, 2018.
In early 2019, Osbourne was hospitalized due to flu complications and postponed his No More Tours II dates. He later canceled the remaining shows after suffering a fall at his Los Angeles home. In 2020, it was revealed that Osbourne had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Although Osbourne retired from touring in 2023, his wife and manager, Sharon, announced plans for a final performance in Birmingham, which was confirmed in February 2024. This event, titled Back To The Beginning, will feature the original Black Sabbath lineup – Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler – sharing the stage for the first time since 2005.
The Back To The Beginning event will also showcase performances by Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Anthrax, Gojira, and more. A ‘supergroup’ featuring Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), and others will also perform. Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) is serving as the event’s musical director, and actor Jason Momoa will host.
In February, Ozzy revealed that he won’t be performing a full set with Black Sabbath but will instead join his bandmates for “bits and pieces.” “I’m trying to get back on my feet,” he shared. “When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I’m not dead. I’m still actively doing things.”