Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has paid tribute to his late bandmate and longtime buddy Ozzy Osbourne.
It was introduced on Tuesday (July 22) that the enduring singer had died on the age of 76, together with his household saying he was “surrounded by love”.
The timing of the information has been notably impactful on condition that it was lower than three weeks in the past that Osbourne headlined the enormous ‘Again To The Starting’ live performance at Villa Park in Birmingham.
On July 5, Osbourne performed alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Invoice Ward for the primary time since 2005, with the band performing a four-song set that concluded with Osbourne telling the group: “Your assist has enabled us to stay a tremendous way of life, thanks from the underside of our hearts”.
Following the devastating information of Osbourne’s loss of life, Iommi took to social media to pen a brief tribute. He shared a carousel of photographs on Instagram, together with black and white image of a youthful Ozzy, {a photograph} of Ozzy hugging Tony throughout their farewell tour in 2016, and a latest shot of your complete band forward of their closing present earlier this month.
Iommi wrote: “I simply can’t imagine it! My expensive expensive buddy Ozzy has handed away solely weeks after our present at Villa Park. It’s simply such heartbreaking information that I can’t actually discover the phrases, there gained’t ever be one other like him. Geezer, Invoice and myself have misplaced our brother. My ideas exit to Sharon and all of the Osbourne household. Relaxation in peace Oz.”
Iommi co-founded the band Earth with Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Invoice Ward all the way in which again in 1968, although they’d undertake the Black Sabbath title only a 12 months later. Collectively, Black Sabbath helped form the heavy steel style, and are sometimes referred to as the godfathers of the style.
In the course of the ‘Again To The Starting’ present on July 5, Ozzy Osbourne carried out two quick units: certainly one of his solo materials, and the second with Black Sabbath. For his solo set, Ozzy performed ‘I Don’t Know’, ‘Mr. Crowley’, ‘Suicide Answer’, ‘Mama, I’m Coming House’ and ‘Loopy Prepare’.
With Black Sabbath, he carried out ‘Struggle Pigs’, ‘Iron Man’, ‘N.I.B.’ and ‘Paranoid’.
It was just lately revealed that a movie documenting the ‘Again To The Starting’ present will probably be launched in cinemas in 2026. It’s described as “a love letter to Ozzy and the pioneering sound of Black Sabbath” and “will probably be a distilled model of the epic all-day occasion held at Villa Park. That includes thunderous performances of ‘Struggle Pigs,’ ‘Iron Man,’ ‘Youngsters of the Grave’ and a show-stopping ‘Paranoid,’ the movie guarantees a deeply private and electrifying farewell from the godfather of heavy steel with unique behind-the-scenes entry and interviews from this iconic stay efficiency.”
In an interview with The Guardian earlier this 12 months, Osbourne seemed forward to enjoying the final Black Sabbath present in good well being, saying: “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the perfect I can. All I can do is flip up.” He sat down at some point of the efficiency.
His spouse and supervisor, Sharon, additionally instructed NME earlier this 12 months that, though he “can’t stroll” because of Parkinson’s, his sickness “didn’t have an effect on his voice”. “He needs to say thanks to everyone,” she defined to us at Villa Park. “He didn’t have that probability due to his sickness, however now he does have the possibility.”
Among the many individuals who have paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne are Elton John, Metallica, Tom Morello, Yungblud, who carried out at ‘Again To The Starting’ and personally gifted a custom-made gold cross to Osbourne on the finale present and extra – examine them out right here.
