Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne head back home for their last show
Nearly six decades after helping create heavy metal music with an eponymous song that enthralled and frightened audiences, Black Sabbath will return to their home of Aston for "Back to the Beginning" at Villa Park stadium.
The one-off gig, with profits going to charity, has been billed as Ozzy's last performance, five years after the 76-year-old "Prince of Darkness" revealed he had Parkinson's disease.
More than a dozen other acts including Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Slayer are set to perform in tribute to Sabbath in the once-industrial English city considered the birthplace of the genre.
"The goal is a very simple one, and that is to create the greatest day in the history of heavy metal as a salute to the band that started it all," Rage Against the Machine member Tom Morello, the music director for the event, told Metal Hammer magazine.
The gig will unite Sabbath's original lineup of bassist Geezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward and frontman Ozzy for the first time in 20 years. Fans can expect performances of "Paranoid", "War Pigs", "Black Sabbath" and Ozzy's "Mama, I'm Coming Home".
Hotel prices in Birmingham have sky-rocketed and Sabbath murals and banners have started appearing across the city, whose factories were one of the influences for the band's heavy sound of loud, distorted guitar and aggressive vocals.
Lisa Meyer, who organised a Black Sabbath exhibition in Birmingham in 2019, said the band won over followers by offering a heavier alternative to the Beatlemania and hippy music of the 1960s.
"That's what really resonated with fans, giving a voice to that rage, anger and frustration, but doing it in a really cathartic way," Meyer, co-founder of the Home of Metal project, told Reuters.
Saturday's extravaganza will also feature performances by Lamb of God, Pantera, Anthrax, Tool, Gojira, Alice in Chains and Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst.
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The Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Sun
We married ‘down' – it's the secret to a sizzling sex life
WHEN red-haired student Jess met trainee bricklayer Bradley in a nightclub, the spark between them was unmistakeable. But while 20-year-old Jess was quickly smitten with her handsome boyfriend, not everyone was quite so pleased. 4 'Bradley bought me a drink, chatted me up and made me laugh,' recalls Jess, then a chemistry undergraduate at the University of Manchester. 'When he asked for my number my university mates were horrified.' It was a similar story with her upper middle class parents. Did poor Brad have bad breath or a drug habit which put off her friends? No. His crime was not having a degree — with Jess's friends and family claiming she was 'dating down'. And she's not the only one. With far more girls now going to university than boys in Britain, increasing number of couples are made up of a white collar wife and blue collar bloke — with some claiming this pairing is the secret to both a healthy bank balance and a sizzling sex life. 'Breath of fresh air' Jess, 30, says: 'Mum and dad made it clear even socialising with a tradie was out of the question — a girl like me was better and smarter than that. 'They wanted the best for me, but I found it boring. 'They wanted me to marry up. Behind the Scenes with Celebs: The Rise of Couples Counselling 'Their friends were constantly bragging about the wealthy or well-to-do husbands their daughters were marrying.' But when Bradley asked Jess out, she instinctively wanted to say yes. She said: 'My inner rebel geek took hold. 'Brad was honest from the start, admitting he'd grown up on a local estate, had been a bit of a ladies' man and wasn't parent-pleasing material. 'He made me laugh, he had great banter and he could fix things.' And Bradley, 41, excelled in another area. Jess says: 'He's also an amazing kisser, great in bed and a lover who was definitely good with his hands.' While once it was the done thing for women to 'marry up' for financial reasons, the tables have turned. Last year, over half of British women reported feeling financially independent. Now females have more freedom when choosing their spouse — and are plumping for males who are more physical and practical than brainy breadwinners. Women are more likely to go to universit y than men. In 2018, 53.6 per cent of girls went on to higher education, compared to 40.2 per cent of boys. Like most women I've always had a 'perfect-man checklist. When I met Rob he didn't tick any of those boxes but I soon discovered that my list was snobby and shallow Laura It seems to be a global trend, with stats showing females being more educated than males in the US, France and Belgium too. This means the dating pool of men at university has dwindled while women can rely on themselves financially. Plus a survey by Materials Market found 74 per cent of women partnered with a blue collar worker said they were good in bed or better than more learned blokes. After seven years together, Jess and Bradley, who live in Chichester, West Sussex, married in 2022 and welcomed their son a year later. Jess says: 'People who think marrying down is wrong are just snobs. 'Brad's amazing in bed, better than university lads. 'Our marriage will last, while girls I know who married up are already divorced.' 4 4 Bradley thinks the marriage works because the couple bring their 'brains and brawn together'. Jess agrees. She adds: 'I may be the brains but he works hard for his money. 'He's not obsessed with keeping up with the Joneses and I find that to be a breath of fresh air. 'When we met, he was living paycheck to paycheck but he still continued to treat me like a princess. 'He wasn't bothered that I was smarter than him. 'When I started work as a specialist pharmacist he was thrilled and didn't care that I earned double his wage. 'I fell out with some of my posh pals who accused me of dating down and slumming it. Brad's building a business. He admits he doesn't understand chemistry, I don't understand the difference between a spanner and a screwdriver Jess 'Brad's building a business. 'He admits he doesn't understand chemistry, I don't understand the difference between a spanner and a screwdriver. 'Tradies are never out of work, they are in demand, and they have great chat. 'I'd rather be with a tradie than a doctor or surgeon.' As for her parents, Jess says: 'When they met Bradley they didn't like him. 'But after a year he'd won them over with his charm, kindness and commitment to our family.' Privately educated Laura Dolphin, 38, had a similar experience when she found love with husband Rob, 40, who left school at the age of 16 to become a mechanic. 'I went to a posh private school and some of my friends were determined to marry up and nab the richest and poshest husbands,' says Laura, who lives in Northampton with Rob and their seven-year-old daughter. 'I have dated lawyers and uber-wealthy businessmen with expensive motors and pedigree backgrounds.' Before meeting Rob in 2013, Laura, who is a CEO for a global company, was in a relationship with someone she describes as a 'super academic' from a wealthy family. She says: 'It ended when I realised he'd never consider me his equal or be interested in my goals. 'I'd realised marrying up meant living your husband's life.' Rob was a corporal in the British Army when he and Laura met. 'Like most women I've always had a 'perfect-man checklist',' she says. 'When I met Rob he didn't tick any of those boxes but I soon discovered that my list was snobby and shallow. 'When he wasn't fixing vehicles in the Army, he taught skiing. 'I was a learner in one of his classes when we met, and for a week, he saw me falling over, sliding on my butt, and making a fool of myself. 'He wasn't someone I'd ever considered dating material but on the last night we shared a drink, had a laugh and he asked for my number. 'Within days, he called. 'We had the same dark sense of humour. 'I'd been an Army reservist, and we could talk about anything. 'They were snobs' 'He didn't care if I'd been to a private school or was a CEO earning more than him. 'He was my opposite and yet we fit. 'When I told a close friend about him she was stunned, telling me he was 'below my rank' and she didn't like him. 'Her response was shocking — we haven't spoken since.' While they may be opposites, Laura says they were the perfect match, marrying in 2016. 'I do the finances, all the household planning and organisation, the timetables and schedules and Rob does the heavy lifting,' she says. 'Instead of the mansion and posh cars I dreamt of, we live in a three-bed terrace with a veggie patch and chickens. 'Rob thinks lots of my mates look down on him, but they're jealous. 'So many of my friends are divorced and those who are still single can't find a man. 'My advice is to chuck out the checklist and marry down — it's a recipe for a happy life.' Rob agrees. He says: 'She's the boss and brains, but being the brawn means I have my uses, too. 'The moment I met Laura, I felt a connection. 'We know our marriage will last.' Dating coach and relationship expert James Preece, owner of HeraHaven, has seen a rise in women looking for 'high emotional intelligence' rather than someone who can provide for them. He says: 'They understand that relationship success comes from having similar values and life goals, and are comfortable with being the main earner.' Pensions and human resources executive Paige Bournett lives in Worcester with her fiance, forklift driver Adam Taylor, 38. They have been together seven years and are getting married in 2026. I was raised to be prim and proper. I was told to stay at school, go to university and marry a lawyer, doctor or businessman Paige Paige, 31, tried 'dating up' but found the men boring, bad in bed and only interested in their needs. She says: 'I was raised to be prim and proper. 'I was told to stay at school, go to university and marry a lawyer, doctor or businessman. 'But every super geek or university lad who asked me out didn't care about my needs. 'When I met Adam at a nightclub in 2018, he was cocky, sure of himself and full of funny banter. 'I was in heaven.' At the time, Adam was in between jobs but this did not deter Paige. Within two months they were a couple and Adam, who left school at 16, spent time on Universal Credit and flitting between part-time low-level jobs. Paige recalls: 'My posh friends were horrified he didn't have a career or 'prospects.' 'I didn't care, they were snobs. 'I had the checklist for a husband — a rich man who would have a big house and I wouldn't have to work. 'Instead, I found a fella who is a forklift driver and earns less than me but is a dedicated fiance and who loves me. 'My checklist was silly, I'd be unhappily single if I'd stuck to it. 'My single friends who at first slagged off my choice are now asking him to introduce them to his tradie mates.' Adam adds: 'Paige was posh and prim when I met her, but she was not a snob. 'She's my uptown girl and I am proud to be her downtown man.'
The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
I partied at UK's biggest nightclubs in 80s & 90s…but, at 57, can I keep up with the ‘Gravers' at Gen-Z Ibiza hotspot?
THE last easyJet flight of the night from Luton touched down in Ibiza to a round of applause and shouts of 'Oi Oi!' It was 11.40pm, I was ready for a nice cup of chamomile tea and bed, but the two Essex ravers, who looked barely out of their teens, in the seats ahead had other ideas. 5 5 5 'We're going to Amnesia, mate' one gurned — that's a nightclub, not the condition experienced by some middle-aged folk like me. While I was with the young clubbers in spirit, my 57-year-old dad bod said a firm no. I was saving myself for the big one — UNVRS, the world's first hyperclub, later in the week. Pronounced 'universe,' it is the recently opened king of clubs on an island that helped launch acid house, which morphed into the rave phenomenon that swept Britain in the late 1980s. UNVRS may not have many vowels but it has a lot of punters — 10,000 can cram into its labyrinth of bars and dance floors. Its superstar DJs including David Guetta, Carl Cox and Fisher attract clubbers from all over the planet. Footie ace Jude Bellingham was at the opening night last month. So, staring down the barrel of 60, would I be able to cut it at clubland's hottest ticket? And would I be the only relic from the halcyon days of Eighties and Nineties clubbing still trying to throw shapes? Known as Gravers, I was interested to talk to survivors from the rave era for whom the party won't stop until the Grim Reaper calls. I'm the UK's oldest clubber - I still wear a bikini at 86 & spent my summer partying with my granddaughter, I'm the last one standing at 3am I haven't been to a nightclub for decades, but back in the day I graced London clubs Ministry Of Sound, Heaven, Sin and Bagleys. With Cardiff -born superstar DJ Jamie Jones on the UNVRS decks on Wednesday, I headed to this pinnacle of modern clubbing, hoping to rekindle the rave era spirit. I bought an early-bird ticket for 55 euros, which means you must arrive at UNVRS before midnight. VIP tickets go for £425-plus. As you journey inland towards San Rafael de la Cruz, the club's mammoth, red-glowing dome dominates the skyline like St Paul's Cathedral in London. I joined the queue with thousands of women in barely there skirts and boob tubes and well-honed guys in shorts and tees. Most looked young enough to be my grandchildren. Security thoroughly patted me down, then I entered another world. Intense white light cascaded from a mirror ball into my eyes as the unrelenting bass seemed to rattle my chest bone. This being Gen Z clubbing, there was an immediate opportunity to update your socials at the transparent selfie booth. A sweeping staircase leads to a huge dance floor with a raised DJ booth at the far end, and it was soon a swarming mass. Just like the old days, the hands are in the air when the music reaches a crescendo, but now thousands of phones are held aloft, recording every beep and thud for posterity . . . and Instagram. UNVRS began life as Club San Rafael in the 1970s, later changing its name to KU Club and then Privilege. 'DON'T EVER CHANGE DAD' Celebs who once partied there include Bowie, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Tina Turner. In the 1990s, it hosted the infamous Manumission night, which featured live sex acts on stage. UNVRS is less decadent for a different age, drawing a very glam and British — crowd. With my back aching from too much standing, it was time for a beer and a sit down at the cavernous Dome Bar. I wince at the price list. A 33cl bottle of Heinken? That's £15, guv. A bottle of water is nearly £13 and a vodka- redbull around £23. Also catching some air were clubbers approaching my own age. Department store manager Jose Antonio, 55, his wife Maria, 56, and their son Alonso, 21, were on holiday from Marbella in Spain. Asking Jose what brought them to the hyper club, he revealed: 'We like electronic music and know Jamie Jones and, of course, we are going to dance and will stay for two or three hours.' Student Alonso, meanwhile, points out a decent advantage to going clubbing with your parents, revealing: 'They paid!' But Andrew Killin, 56, from North London, who has been to Ibiza ten times over the years, said he wasn't impressed by the sprawling size of the club, finding it a little 'soulless'. 5 5 In the main room I spot a greying figure with large specs nodding his head as if entranced by the beat. Skegness dad-of-four Matthew O'Connor, 57, tells me he's been 'havin' it' since 1988. I'd found a bone-fide Graver. 'I couldn't be on the island, in light of all the hype, and not come to UNVRS,' he told me. 'I wanted to see it and I'm quite wowed.' So are his kids embarrassed that he is still raving as he approaches his seventh decade? 'Quite the opposite,' he insists. 'They tell me, 'Don't ever f***ing change, Dad'.' Matthew — aka DJ Chinny — turns out to be a great raconteur who still 'loves' this party island. 'I came out here in 1988 raving then in 1989 went to Tenerife where things also f***ing exploded,' he revealed. ' Since then I haven't been to Ibiza every year, but it's a love affair that's lasted.' 'IF IT'S IN YOU, IT'S IN YOU' He's still DJ-ing while running a decorating business, and I ask if his clubbing was ever fuelled by drugs? 'I've experimented over the years,' he added. 'It was all about ecstasy and LSD. 'That's back in the day. 'I'm proud now that my weapon of choice is alcohol. 'I'm of the age now where I really need to slow down!' Finally, I asked this fellow 57-year-old if we are too old to rave? 'I'm the same age as the parents of some of the guys I travelled out here with. I'm like the old fossil,' he reveals. 'If it's in you, it's in you.' With Matthew's assurance ringing in my ears I head back to the dance floor and throw my arms in the air to the pumping music.
The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jane Austen would be annoyed women still do not have equality
A TV historian has said she thinks Jane Austen would be disappointed that women do not have equality in 2025. Lucy Worsley was speaking at Austen's birthplace in Steventon, Hampshire, at a country fair to mark 250 years since the novelist was born. Austen's novels include Sense And Sensibility, Pride And Prejudice and Emma. Worsley said: 'It's such a special feeling to be on the spot where she herself walked and everybody here agrees with me, everybody here really loves Jane Austen.' The historian said she thinks Austen 'changed the world', adding: 'Although she was a novelist, and she gives entertainment and her books are funny, I think they have a serious message that was very important then and now, which is that women shouldn't have to marry for money. In Jane Austen novels, that's always what happens. 'In the world of Pride And Prejudice, women and men were not equal. In the world of today, women and men are still not equal. 'It's 250 years later but we're still not where we should be with our society. So if Jane Austen were to be here in the world today, I think that she'd say, 'hmm, I thought things would have been better than they are for women'.' Actor Adrian Lukis, who played George Wickham in the BBC's 1995 adaptation of Pride And Prejudice, was also at the event. Lukis said he was offered a different role originally, then Wickham became available, and he screen-tested and got that, which he called a 'wonderful part' in a 'fabulous book'. He added: 'I've just done a Q&A for an hour to the audience, and having people say how much it means to their family that they all sit down at Christmas with their grandparents, and they've watched it for years, and it's just a wonderful series. And I'm very proud to have been a part of it.' Lukis said Austen's novels are 'wonderful stories driven by a compelling narrative' and praised the 'quality of her writing and her observation'. Of Wickham, Lukis said: 'He's not a great guy, but what he is is charming and really good fun. And I always say, if at the end of the evening you spent with Wickham in a bar or a restaurant, you would have had a fantastic time, it's just at the end of the evening, he will say, 'I'm so sorry I forgot my money'. That's what you expect from Wickham. 'Darcy would sit there being all pompous and proud and serious and would pick up the bill, but you'd have a better time with Wickham.'
