It’s no secret that Ozzy Osbourne‘s medical issues in recent years have forced him to retire from touring and have also largely kept the metal legend off the stage. Osbourne‘s health woes were greatly exacerbated as a result of a late night fall in early 2019. That tumble aggravated steel rods previously surgically inserted in him back in 2003 to correct the injuries he sustained in an serious ATV crash.
Unfortunately for the 76-year-old icon, the injuries sustained during that late night trip to the bathroom were serious enough to merit several surgeries, however, he was left with nerve damage and other lingering side effects as a result.
After exhausting all other options, back in late 2023 he underwent one final spinal surgery. While the lingering issues from the fall certainly set the rocker back, it’s been confirmed by his wife that Ozzy‘s decades-long battle with Parkinson’s disease has also been progressively working against him, affecting his mobility and balance.
Osbourne‘s most recent limited returns to the stage post-pandemic (and post-fall) have found him propped up via a back brace mounted to the floor. Meanwhile, he remained seated and didn’t perform during his second induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last October.
With yesterday’s bombshell announcement of an original Black Sabbath reunion/farewell show, complete with a final solo live performance from Osbourne. However, barring a miracle, fans shouldn’t expect to see the marauding, water hose dousing Ozzy of old at this proper sendoff.
Speaking recently with The Sun, Ozzy‘s wife Sharon confirmed that Parkinson’s has been progressively affecting her husband’s legs, stating:
“Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”
Discussing his condition on his SiriusXM radio show earlier this week, Osbourne admitted he can’t walk anymore unassisted, having frequently been since with a cane in years amid his unfortunate health decline. He said of that:
“I have made it to 2025. I can’t walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I’m still alive. I may be moaning that I can’t walk but I look down the road and there’s people that didn’t do half as much as me and didn’t make it.”
Osbourne and Black Sabbath‘s farewell show is set to take place at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK on July 05th, with all proceeds to go towards Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
In addition to a performance by the original members of Black Sabbath (Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler & drummer Bill Ward,) Osbourne is scheduled to perform a short solo set of fan favorites. Other performers booked to play that farewell to the metal greats include:
Metallica
Slayer
Pantera
Gojira
Halestorm
Alice In Chains
Lamb Of God
Anthrax
Mastodon
Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello will also be leading an all-star jam collective during that event, with the following artists among the initial ist of participants:
Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins)
David Draiman (Disturbed)
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)
II (Sleep Token)
Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)
Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth WVH, ex-Van Halen)
Together, they are expected to perform tracks from the Sabbath and Osbourne catalogs and more.
[via Blabbermouth.net]
