Ozzy Osbourne talks 'one last' Black Sabbath gig with Bill Ward
Ozzy Osbourne has admitted he didn’t fully enjoy Black Sabbath’s final tour as original drummer Bill Ward wasn’t there.
In a newly published interview with Kerrang!, which was originally conducted back in January, Ozzy was asked about comments he made back in September 2018 when he said he “didn’t have a great time” on Black Sabbath’s reunion.
“I didn’t like the fact that Bill Ward wasn’t there, for a start,” Ozzy explained. “People put that down to me, but it wasn’t me, honestly.
“We (Black Sabbath) didn’t have the f***ing time to hang around, we had to get going, but I’m sorry it didn’t work out with Bill. Tommy (Clufetos, Ozzy’s drummer, who played with Sabbath on their farewell tour) did great, but the four of us started this, and it should have been the four of us ending it.”
Suggesting there could be a final Sabbath gig with Bill behind the drum kit, Ozzy added: “Those final gigs in Birmingham were bittersweet because you think of how far we came, and how much we did, and it would have been good to have shared that together. Maybe one day there’ll be one last gig, I don’t know.”
Speaking to the Philadelphia’s The Inquirer last autumn, Ozzy cited “bad vibes” from Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi as the reason for him not enjoying the final tour.
"I didn't have a great time," he admitted to the newspaper. "I spent nine or 10 years in Sabbath, but I'd been away from them for over 30 years.
“With them, I'm just a singer. With me, I get to do what I want to do. I was getting bad vibes from them for being Ozzy. I don't know, what the f*** else can I be?"
Speaking in Issue 14 of Planet Rock Magazine, which is on sale now, Geezer Butler responded to Ozzy’s comments.
Geezer told us: “Yeah, well, it’s different when you’re touring sober. We didn’t have those social get-togethers where we used to drunk and do drugs.
“It was quite a business-like tour. We’re all individuals, we all like our own space, and that’s why it worked for so long.”
Geezer also revealed that he hasn’t “heard anything” from Ozzy since the Sabbath’s final gig in Birmingham.
“I sent him a ‘Get Well’ message when he fell ill this year and Sharon said he was very happy to get it, and thanks for sending it. But we haven’t spoken,” Geezer said.
Alongside the Geezer interview, Issue 14 of Planet Rock Magazine also boasts a Van Halen cover feature, interviews with David Coverdale, Robert Plant, Duff McKagan and Paul Rodgers, plus Tyler Bryant, KISS, Megadeth, Venom, Hollywood Vampires, the Eagles and much more.
ORDER ISSUE 14 OF PLANET ROCK MAGAZINE ONLINE HERE