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Tony Iommi Says Ozzy Osbourne “Held Out” for One Last Show Before His Death: “He Gave It Everything”
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has opened up about the emotional final performance he shared with Ozzy Osbourne, saying he believes the iconic frontman “held out” just long enough to say goodbye to fans on stage before his death.
Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76. But just a few weeks earlier, he reunited with the original Sabbath lineup—Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—for one final, deeply moving concert in their hometown of Birmingham. The event, held on July 5 at Villa Park, wasn’t just a farewell; it was a homecoming, a tribute, and a moment of defiant triumph for a man who had spent years battling Parkinson’s disease and a long list of health setbacks.
In a recent interview, Iommi admitted that even now, it’s hard to wrap his head around the timing.
“I think he really just held out to do that show,” Iommi said. “That was his mission. He needed to say goodbye, and he wasn’t going to leave this world without doing it. And just after that… it’s like he said, ‘I’ve done it. That’s it.’”
The show—aptly titled Back to the Beginning—was both emotional and stripped-down. Ozzy sat on a throne, shaped like a pair of bat wings, performing solo hits like “Crazy Train” and “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” Then, with the original Sabbath members beside him, he powered through four of the band’s classics: “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “N.I.B.,” and “Paranoid.”
It was a short set, but every note felt like it carried decades of history, struggle, and love. Iommi revealed that more songs had been rehearsed, but they scaled it back to make sure Ozzy could give the best of himself without pushing too far.
“We had rehearsed ‘Black Sabbath’ and ‘Fairies Wear Boots’ too,” Iommi said. “But in the end, we thought—let’s make it short and meaningful. And it really was.”
According to Iommi, Ozzy had been dealing with more than just physical pain. There was a real emotional weight on him. “He hadn’t been well for a long time. But he still had that fire. That desire to do right by the fans,” he said.
The concert also raised £140 million for Parkinson’s research and local charities—a cause that had become personal to Ozzy in recent years.
In the days after the show, Iommi says he received a message from Ozzy, who simply told him how much it had meant. The next day, Ozzy was gone.
“I was shocked,” Iommi admitted. “Even though we knew he was struggling, it hit like a train. I lost not just a bandmate, but a brother.”
Now, fans across the world are remembering Ozzy not just as the “Prince of Darkness,” but as a man who gave everything he had—until the very last note.
“He said goodbye his way,” Iommi said quietly. “On stage. With his band. In Birmingham. That’s Ozzy.”
