Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has spoken with the press about the tragic passing of Ozzy Osbourne yesterday, July 22nd. The indelible heavy metal icon passed away at the age of 76 following a lengthy battle with illness. Osbourne managed to wind down his live career, both as a solo artist and with Sabbath, via a July 05th hometown shown at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK. That all-star event raised over $190 million for charity and featured heavy metal and rock royalty all uniting to pay tribute to Osbourne and the legacy of the above-mentioned heavy metal pioneers.
In a new discussion with ITV News (see below), Iommi shared his thoughts on losing his longtime bandmate and friend. Speaking of hearing the news, he stated:
“…It was a shock for us [that Ozzy passed]. I mean, when I heard yesterday, it couldn’t sink in. I thought, ‘It can’t be.’ I only had a text from him the day before. It just seemed unreal, surreal. And it really didn’t sink in. And in the night I started thinking about it: ‘God, am I dreaming all this?’ But as I said before, he’s not looked well through the rehearsals.. And I think he really just held out to do that show. I really feel, and me and Geezer [Butler, Black Sabbath bassist] were talking about it last night, that we think he held out to do it, and just after that, he’s done it and said goodbye to the fans. And that was the end of it, really.”
Regarding the final show, Iommi added:
“I think he must have had something in his head that said, ‘Well, this is gonna be it, the last thing I’m ever gonna do.’ Whether he thought he was gonna die or what, I don’t know. But he really wanted to do it and he was determined to do it. And fair dues, he’d done it.”
Speaking on Ozzy‘s condition and attitude after playing that farewell show, Iommi relayed:
“Well, he went to his dressing room and I went to mine and Geez went to his and so on. And then he came over. He came around before he was leaving on a wheelchair that brought him in to say goodbye and have a little chat for a bit. And he seemed all right. He enjoyed it. And he said, ‘Oh, it went all right, didn’t it?’ I said, ‘Yeah, it did.’ But as I say, when I had the text off him the day before yesterday saying he’s tired and he’s really got no energy. And I thought, ‘Oh, dear.’ ‘Cause it’s a lot for him to do that under the problems he’s got.
And we could see it in rehearsal. We didn’t want him there every day at rehearsal, because it’s too much. He just wouldn’t be able to stand it. So they’d bring him in and he’d sit down and sing a few songs, and then we’d talk about some rubbish old times or whatever, have a laugh, and then he’d go. And that’s sort of what we did, really. But the gig was for him [to say goodbye], really, and for us to say goodbye, ’cause also Sabbath saying goodbye; it was the end of the band, and we’ll never do that again. And to have Bill [Ward, Black Sabbath drummer] with us as well after all these years, after 20 years of not playing with Bill. I can’t believe it’s 20 years, to be honest.”
Asked about what he thought about Ozzy‘s own impressions of the farewell show, Iommi responded:
“I think he was moved and frustrated as well, ’cause he wanted to stand up. You could see he was trying to get up. But yeah, it meant everything to him. This is what we built up for, for that big ending where he could see all the people and we could all see all the people, and close it in that way. But we didn’t expect to close it so quick with Ozz; we didn’t expect him to go that quick, really. Well, we didn’t expect him to go. So it’s been a shock.”
“I’m really glad we did it, ’cause it was a final thing for everybody. And I think if we hadn’t done it, people couldn’t have seen the band and Ozzy. It would’ve been a shame. But they’ve got a chance to see us all and see Ozz for the last time in that situation.”
Iommi also revealed how he’ll remember Ozzy:
“God, we go back so many years. I knew Ozzy before everybody, ’cause we went to the same school. He was always funny. Ozzy was Ozzy. There’s never gonna be another Ozzy. He’s the only one — one Ozzy and that’s it. [And he’s] just a special person, just the way he is. He says what he thinks. Many times we said to him, ‘Now, don’t get saying anything.’ And, of course, he does. But it was funny. It really was funny.
He did do some funny antics. And we did have a laugh on stage. As much as we were serious about the music, we’d always have this thing, and Ozz would always come over to me and pull faces. Of course, the audience couldn’t see that, and he’d be pulling all these funny faces, and I’d just crack up. Then he’d go over to Geezer and do the same. He was just that sort of person. He was a showman.”
[via Blabbermouth.net]
