The bill for the upcoming roster for the final live sendoff for the original lineup of heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath and their legendary frontman Ozzy Osbourne is already a stacked affair, but it seems it would have featured at least one additional band if not for a behind the scenes confrontation.
Sharon Osbourne, who serves as Osbourne‘s manager and is overseeing this live extravaganza, ‘Back To The Beginning‘, has told Metal Hammer that an argument with a manager led to her ejecting their artist from the upcoming concert. Sharon relayed of that:
“I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager over this celebration for Ozzy and Sabbath. And it was probably the worst way I’ve felt in years. And I don’t care what this person says about me, thinks about it, because he doesn’t know me. And he’s now going around making up bullshit lies because I threw his band off the bill.
I don’t care what people say. Because do you know what? I don’t love them. I care about people who love me, what they say about me. You can’t care what an industry says, because you don’t love them, so how can it hurt you? It doesn’t.”
While Metal Hammer then went on to point out the 2005 incident where she infamously had Iron Maiden pelted onstage with eggs and more during an ‘Ozzfest‘ stop in San Bernardino, CA, Osbourne confirmed the ejected artist in question from this upcoming live event isn’t Iron Maiden. She responded to that suggestion:
“Oh god, no. Ozzy only has respect for the guys in Maiden. And he didn’t even know what Bruce [during ‘Ozzfest‘] was doing. I never told him, until the night that it happened when it was the last show, and he just looked at me and goes, ‘You’re terrible.’”
Upon this interview being published late last week, speculation ran rampant that Tool may have been the artist on the chopping block, given their vocalist Maynard James Keenan‘s blunt assessment of Ozzy‘s physical health struggles. However, Tool remain listed for the event. As such, it remains unclear as to who got the boot. With no indicative changes to the main roster since it was announced, there is a possibility the artist was never publicly announced, or was part of the other planned live jam session portion of the concert.
Outside of the last final live appearances from Sabbath and Osbourne, this farewell gig, ‘Back To The Beginning‘, will see some of metal and hard rock’s biggest stars assembling to pay homage to the aforementioned heavy metal pioneers, complete with respective covers planned. Bands booked to take part include:
Metallica
Guns N’ Roses
Slayer
Tool
Pantera
Gojira
Halestorm
Alice In Chains
Lamb Of God
Anthrax
Mastodon
Rival Sons
Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello has also been appointed the overseer of a Sabbath and Ozzy covers jam collective, with the following artists having been announced for that portion of the day’s proceedings:
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)
Actor Jason Momoa (‘Aquaman‘, ‘Game Of Thrones‘) will host the day’s proceedings, with the concert set for July 05th at Villa Park in Black Sabbath‘s stomping grounds of Birmingham, UK. The concert will be livestreamed , with a portion of the proceeds earmarked for Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
While Ozzy has been facing numerous health challenges in recent years, he has been in extensive training leading up to the big show. However, he has been open ahead of time about his capabilities, confirming he will likely be performing in a somewhat limited capacity, playing at least 5 solo songs and an unspecified amount with Sabbath.
