Ozzy Osbourne will never retire because 'performing is 'in his DNA'
Ozzy Osbourne is plotting to continue working despite his huge Birmingham gig being declared his farewell night, a pal has revealed. The Black Sabbath frontman has told friends he sees a future for him in the music industry even though the Back To The Beginning gig at Villa Park was promoted as the Brummie's career finale.
The 76-year-old cannot see himself retiring despite his neck, back and Parkinson's issues - because of what happened to his dad when he retired.
One friend - who has known Ozzy for several decades - said he 'always thinks about his dad when it comes to retirement' because his father died just a few days after giving up work.
READ MORE: Bob Geldof tells why Live Aid's rock 'n' roll romance wouldn't work 40 years on
Already, Ozzy is said to be secretly plotting a new album for later in the year and is hoping to reunite with award-winning producer Andrew Watt. His old friend teased: "I would not be surprised if, knowing Ozzy, he would do something around a stage to promote that.
"Oz has made it clear many many times that he doesn't want to simply retire and stop making music or feeling the love from live audiences.
"He feels that he will wither away and pass if he stops altogether. His biggest worry - and he has said this often - is that the same thing happens to him as his father. That haunts him.
"He has told us many times about how his father told him, 'I have always wanted to dig the garden'. Ozzy then revealed he dug up the garden and died. Working is what keeps Ozzy going.
"There is a sense that he needs to be in the spotlight no matter how challenging his medical conditions. He loves the buzz of getting love from his fans - it's in his DNA."
That insight comes as the self-styled Prince Of Darkness wowed fans after reuniting with the original Black Sabbath members for the first time in 20 years at the weekend, also performing five solo songs during his star-studded Back To The Beginning.
The supershow included sets from Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer and Tool. Ozzy belted out solo hits including Mr Crowley, Mama I'm Coming Home and Crazy Train plus War Pigs, Iron Man and Paranoid with Black Sabbath, as the fans went wild.
He was sent a video message from Sir Elton John, played out on the giant screens, in which he told Ozzy: 'You are one of the most remarkable singers of our time. You are the king, you are the legend. You've been through so much crap in the last few years – I hope this is the best day of your life so far.'
Fans saw the reality of Ozzy's medical woes as he performed on stage while seated on a winged throne. He had spent months working with physios and trainers to be able to stand fully, but "just could not make it.'
Speaking a few months ago, the rocker said he was struggling to walk more than a few feet unaided, explaining: 'I am 70 f***ing six and even being over 70 is f***ing doing my brains in."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Kelly Osbourne shocked as boyfriend proposes at Black Sabbath show
Kelly Osbourne got engaged to her partner Sid Wilson at her father Ozzy Osbourne 's Black Sabbath farewell concert. The Slipknot rocker proposed to Osbourne at Villa Park in Birmingham, leaving her speechless. During the proposal, Ozzy Osbourne jokingly interjected, 'F*** off, you're not marrying my daughter,' which was met with laughter. A clip shared on Instagram on 6 July shows Osbourne reacting with shock before accepting Wilson's proposal with a long hug. Watch the video in full above.
Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
Ozzy Osbourne was taken totally by surprise when daughter Kelly got engaged
Sharon Osbourne has opened up about husband Ozzy's 'surprise' when daughter Kelly got engaged backstage at his last gig. On Saturday night, the Crazy Train rocker performed for the final time to over 40,000 fans in Birmingham's Villa Park, accompanied by his Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. The rowdy crowd screamed, danced, and showered Ozzy with adoration, giving him a legend's send-off following his years of health struggles. But Ozzy's last performance wasn't the only reason for emotions running high over the weekend, as Kelly's boyfriend, Sid Wilson, decided to get down on one knee. The Slipknot rocker, 48, who confirmed his romance with Kelly in 2022, popped the question in the presence of Sharon and Ozzy, with Mrs. O now spilling further details on the special moment. Speaking to TMZ, the former X Factor judge shared that Sid, who has actually known Kelly since the late 90s, asked for her permission to propose three to four months ago. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video He told Sharon that he was going ahead with the grand gesture at Ozzy's final gig—but kept the music legend in the dark until the last moment. Sharon added that she and Ozzy are 'over the moon' for their daughter, with a huge romantic celebration planned for them in a couple of weeks, ensuring Ozzy has time to recuperate after his gig first. The famous family decided against a raucous night on the town after the concert itself, given that the singer, who revealed his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2020, had already had a long day. Sharon is also keen for Kelly to expand their family further once she's a married woman, declaring that she wants 'a lot more babies' from her and Sid, who welcomed son Sidney in late 2022. And it's probably not something she even needs to ask for, as Kelly herself has already made it clear that she 'definitely' wants to have 'more babies' with her husband-to-be. In the video of Sid's proposal that Kelly shared on Instagram, the shock was clear on her face when he pulled out the ring. 'Kelly, you know I love you more than anything,' he began in his speech. 'Nothing would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life with you.' 'So, in front of your family and all of our friends, Kelly, will you marry me?', he asked her. As Sid gave his future father-in-law a closer look at the dazzling ring, Sharon applauded. It later emerged that the engagement ring had a deeper story behind it, with luxury jeweller Mouawad telling Metro that Sid wanted the accessory to have a connection to Kelly's late friend, Joan Rivers. 'So I have a nickname for Kelly, and it's 'Honeybee', and coincidentally, a friend of hers, Joan Rivers, used to call her this,' he revealed. 'It was a nickname [Rivers] had for her. I didn't know this. It's like an amazing coincidence; it's like whoa, like, meant to be.' After Rivers died in 2014, Kelly got a bee tattoo in her honour to 'always buzz around' her. And now, her 18K yellow gold ring also has a beehive-inspired structure, featuring a variation of diamonds. Upon first seeing the ring in all its glory, Sid said it was 'more than perfect'. Kelly previously admitted that she wasn't super fussed about getting married, insisting it 'wasn't important' to her. 'I found my guy. We don't need the certificate,' she told Us Weekly last year. However, since Sid has always been keen on becoming husband and wife, she's more than happy to exchange vows. And she'll be doing so in the presence of her mum and dad, who recently moved back to the UK after several years in the States. Speaking on Instagram at the weekend to express her pride for her father after his show, Kelly hailed Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning concert as one of the 'most magical experiences' of her life. She said in a video shared to her Instagram Story: 'I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. More Trending 'Thank you to everyone who came to the show last night, [and] thank you to everybody who was involved in the show last night. You have no idea what it did for my dad. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'It was one of the most magical experiences of my entire life, and if I keep talking, I'm probably going to end up crying again. So, that's all I'll say for now. Thank you.' While on stage, Ozzy, who performed sitting on a throne due to his mobility issues, said similar. He told the crowd: 'I don't know what to say, man. I've been laid up for, like, six years. You have no idea how I feel—thank you from the bottom of my heart.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Black Sabbath final show sparks backlash after 'scumbag' musician's appearance MORE: Hollywood heavyweight crashes Black Sabbath mosh pit at last ever gig MORE: Rock star admits he purchased Ozzy Osbourne's DNA for $450
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Kelly Osbourne gets engaged at father Ozzy's Black Sabbath final show
This is the moment Kelly Osbourne got engaged to partner Sid Wilson at her father Ozzy Osbourne 's Black Sabbath farewell concert. The singer is left speechless after the Slipknot rocker gets down on one knee ahead of her father's show at Villa Park in Birmingham. Wilson tells her: "Kelly, you know I love you more than anything in the world," before Ozzy interjects, "F*** off, you're not marrying my daughter', which is met with thunderous laughter. In the clip, shared on Instagram on 6 July, the 40-year-old looks around in shock, before nodding and embracing her now fiance in a long hug.
