Tony Iommi thinks Ozzy Osbourne “held out” to play one final present with Black Sabbath.
Tony Iommi has been reflecting on the loss of life of Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne
The heavy steel legend handed away on the age of 76 on Tuesday (22.07.25) – simply two weeks after he returned to the stage for the Again To The Starting live performance in his residence metropolis of Birmingham – and Tony is satisfied that his bandmate knew he can be bowing out with the epic farewell gig.
The guitarist instructed ITV Information: “I feel he actually simply held out to try this present. I actually really feel – and me and Geezer (Butler) have been speaking about it final night time – that we expect he held out to do it, and simply after that, he is carried out it and stated goodbye to the followers. And that was the top of it, actually.
“I feel he will need to have had one thing in his head that stated, ‘Effectively, that is gonna be it, the very last thing I am ever gonna do.’ Whether or not he thought he was gonna die or what, I do not know. However he actually wished to do it, and he was decided to do it. And truthful dues, he is carried out it.”
Regardless of Ozzy’s fragile well being, Tony admits that the loss of life of his bandmate nonetheless got here as a “shock for us”.
The 77-year-old musician stated: “After I heard, it could not sink in. I assumed, ‘It might probably’t be.’ I solely had a textual content from him the day earlier than. It simply appeared unreal, surreal. And within the night time, I began enthusiastic about it: ‘God, am I dreaming all this?’ However as I stated earlier than, he is not regarded effectively by the rehearsals.”
Tony additionally mirrored on a dialog he and Ozzy, who had been affected by Parkinson’s illness for a few years, had within the dressing room following the Again To The Starting gig at Villa Park.
The rocker stated: “He got here round earlier than he was leaving on a wheelchair that introduced him in to say goodbye and have a little bit chat for a bit, and he appeared alright. He loved it. And he stated, ‘Oh, it went all proper, did not it?’ I stated, ‘Yeah, it did.'”
Iommi revealed that he and Black Sabbath bandmates Terence ‘Geezer’ Butler and Invoice Ward did not need Ozzy to be at rehearsals each day for the gig as it could have been “an excessive amount of” for him.
He stated: “We did not need him there each day at rehearsal, as a result of it is an excessive amount of. He simply would not be capable to stand it.
“So that they’d carry him in and he’d sit down and sing a number of songs, after which we would discuss some garbage about outdated occasions or no matter, have fun, after which he’d go. And that is form of what we did, actually.”
