In a newly published interview with The Guardian, Ozzy Osbourne and his wife and manager Sharon Osbourne revealed the extent of the injuries that have largely sidelined the legendary heavy metal musician from the stage over the past six years. A key instance in that timeline occurred back in early 2019, when Ozzy took a header during a late night trip to the bathroom. He said of that:
“I went to the bathroom in the night, I didn’t put the light on. I thought I knew where the bed was. I was stupid, I dived and there weren’t a bed there. I landed straight on my face. I felt my neck go crunch. I went: ‘Sharon! Call an ambulance!’ She said, ‘Where the hell are you? Get into bed!’ I said: ‘Sharon, don’t ask questions.’ I thought I was going to be paralysed.”
However as Ozzy himself explained in the interview, his bouts with pneumonia just prior to that fall caused lingering issues as well. He told the aforementioned publication, “I had an infection. I’m still on antibiotics to be honest with you, I had a thing put in the vein in my arm to feed in IV shots of them. I’ve still got it on – it comes out this week, with a bit of luck. Antibiotics knock the hell out of you.”
The February 2019 fall proved to be the biggest hurdle to overcome at the time however, dislodging steel rods previously inserted in him during surgery after he was involved in a serious 2003 ATV accident. Upon suffering the 2019 tumble, Osbourne was said to have been informed that if he didn’t have surgery to correct the damage to his neck, he would likely be left a paraplegic.
Osbourne went on to describe the resulting procedure he underwent as, “the worst fucking surgery you can imagine. I should have got a second opinion, but you think surgeons know what the fuck they’re doing.”
According to the Osbourne clan, a pair of metal plates were installed to each side of Ozzy‘s spine, however, the screws affixing them eventually became loose, creating bone fragments and lesions. Ozzy would go on to have the offending foreign items removed surgically. Sharon went on to say about that:
“They haven’t figured out the damage. 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.”
Osbourne has also previously admitted to suffering nerve damage as resulting complications from some of those surgeries. However, that hasn’t been the only health issue hampering Ozzy in recent years.
While quietly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the early 2000s, progressive symptoms of the disease began to manifest in the years around Osbourne‘s fall, particularly via numbness in one of his legs. He had initially brushed off the tingles as the consequence of an excessive drinking binge in which he barely moved for days afterward.
Despite releasing two successful solo albums since the fall, Osbourne‘s inability to get back up onstage has haunted him, spiraling him into a deep depression. It was apparently during this dark period that Sharon suggested that Ozzy rally together for one last hurrah with the classic lineup of his former bandmates in the pioneering Black Sabbath, as well as hold a sendoff for his solo career. He said of first being pitched the idea:
“You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end. Sharon could see that I was in Doom Town, and she says to me, ‘I’ve got an idea.’ It was something to give me a reason to get up in the morning. I thought: oh, fucking hell, she’s got an idea. Here we go.”
That idea turned out to be ‘Back To The Beginning‘, a gigantic metal celebration of the careers of Sabbath and Ozzy that will be held July 05th at Villa Park in Sabbath‘s hometown of Birmingham, UK.
However, while Ozzy has entered a heavy training regimen to get into fighting shape for the shows, he is expected to only perform a handful of tracks at the big show— as many as five for the portion of the night honoring his solo works, according to fellow performer Sammy Hagar.
Osbourne‘s mobility woes will reportedly be addressed by the aid of a throne, much like Foo Fighters‘ Dave Grohl and Guns N’ Roses‘ Axl Rose both enlisted when leg injuries befell them on tour.
Concerns over Osbourne‘s health have also been raised by those planning to partake in the ‘Back To The Beginning‘ show, with Tool, etc. vocalist Maynard James Keenan recently suggesting “modern miracles” may be needed to get Osbourne out on stage. Osbourne himself is being realistic about his limitations, telling The Guardian:
“We’re only playing a couple of songs each. I don’t want people thinking, ‘We’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath.” As for the steps he is taking towards getting healthier for the show, he relayed:
“I do weights, bike riding, I’ve got a guy living at my house who’s working with me. It’s tough – I’ve been laid up for such a long time. I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It’s like starting all over again. I’ve got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going.
I have problems walking. I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs. I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down, but the point is I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”
Later in this new chat, Sharon asserted that this really will be the final live hurrah for her husband, offering, “it’s time to say ‘enough’. When you’ve given it your all, you can sit back and say: I did it.” Ozzy himself went on to add:
“I’d love to say ‘never say never’, but after the last six years or so … it is time. 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. But 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.”
Osbourne won’t be short in support for the big night out. It’s newly been revealed that Aerosmith vocalist Steven Tyler and members of soon-to-be Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame-inducted grunge legends Soundgarden are the latest performers to be added to the ‘Back To The Beginning‘ festivities.
Ahead of that however, a who’s who of metal and hard rock talent will pay homage to the band with a series of covers via an all-star jam collective led by Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello.
Metallica
Guns N’ Roses
Slayer
Tool
Pantera
Gojira
Halestorm
Alice In Chains
Lamb Of God
Anthrax
Mastodon
Rival Sons
As for the all-star cover set, the following musicians will be taking part, with more surprises being kept under wraps:
Andrew Watt
Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins)
Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Danny Carey (Tool)
David Draiman (Disturbed)
David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth)
Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses)
Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit)
Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)
Jake E. Lee (Red Dragon Cartel, ex-Ozzy Osbourne)
Jonathan Davis (Korn)
KK Downing (KK’s Priest, ex-Judas Priest)
Mike Bordin (Faith No More/Ozzy Osbourne)
Papa V Perpetua (Ghost)
Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, etc.)
Sammy Hagar (ex-Van Halen)
Slash (Guns N’ Roses)
Soundgarden
Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
II (Sleep Token)
Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)
Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe)
Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth WVH, ex-Van Halen)
