Black Sabbath ended its performing career on July 5 with an emotional and dynamic four-song set at the ended of the massive “Back to the Beginning” concert the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England. Seventeen days later, on July 22, frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who had struggled with various health issues for years, passed away at age 76.
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Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward rejoined the group at the July 5 event to played with the band’s other original members for the first time since the 2005 Ozzfest tour. Osbourne, who had difficulty standing and walking, performed the four-song set from a bat-themed throne.
[RELATED: Black Sabbath Honors the Legacy of Ozzy Osbourne After the Prince of Darkness’ Death]
Ward was interviewed recently by DJ Mike Stark for the LA Radio Sessions podcast after the “Back to the Beginning” concert, but Osbourne’s passing. He was asked about his feelings when he finished the historic performance, and he had an interesting response.
“My feeling, at that point, was really to get off the drum [platform]. … And to see if Ozzy was OK,” Ward admitted. “That’s what I was thinking about. And making sure [bassist] Geezer [Butler] and [guitarist] Tony [Iommi] are heads up.”
The 77-yeard old drummer continued, “And then I wanted to see the audience, so I went out and I applauded the audience. So that’s what was on my mind. And I looked behind me, and my family was there, and I applauded my family and people that were around me on the stage. I had a lot of staff members there, and I applauded them. So it was about just basically honoring all the people that had been listening. That’s exactly what I was doing.”
Ward Had More to Say About What He Did His After the Performance
Regarding wanting to acknowledge his fans, family, and musical associates, Ward added, “It wasn’t really anything that was deeper or mature or anything. I just wanted to say thanks to everybody. There [were] a lot of musicians there that I know, and I was applauding them as well. I love them very much.”
The “Back to the Beginning” concert, of course, featured performances by dozens of well-known rock artists, as well as farewell sets by Black Sabbath and, separately, Ozzy with a solo group.
Ward Also Discussed How Black Sabbath Chose the Songs in Its Set
Black Sabbath’s set featured the songs “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” “Iron Man,” and “Paranoid.”
Stark also asked Bill how Black Sabbath decided on what songs to play at their final gig.
“I think it was a common denominator of what we thought we might be able to play,” Ward explained. “There was a couple of other songs that we tried. [It] didn’t quite work out. I think it was [about] finding the most popular songs, for us and for the fans. … Actually, popular is not a very good word, [’cause] there are probably a lot of songs that are popular. … Definitive. Yeah, let’s go with definitive. [We chose] the most definitive songs that work for all of us, all of us being the band members.”
Ward Paid Tribute to Osbourne After His Passing
After Osbourne’s July 22 death, Ward posted a tribute to his friend and bandmate on his social media pages.
“Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you’re forever in my heart,” Bill wrote. “Deepest condolences to Sharon and all family members. RIP Sincere regrets to all the fans. Never goodbye. Thank you forever.”
The note was accompanied by a vintage black-and-white photo booth pic of Osbourne and Ward.
“Back to the Beginning” Concert Film Set to Premiere in 2026
As previously reported, a concert film featuring highlights from “Back to the Beginning” concert will premiere in theaters in early 2026. According to a press statement, the movie, titled Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow, “will be a big-screen celebration of Ozzy Osbourne and the legacy of Black Sabbath, capturing the raw power and emotional weight of [the event].”
The statement further explained that the film will be “[p]resented as a love letter to Ozzy and the pioneering sound of Black Sabbath,” adding that it “promises a deeply personal and electrifying farewell from the godfather of heavy metal.”
In addition to the performances, the movie will boast “behind-the-scenes access and interviews captured during the event.”
Besides Black Sabbath’s and Osbourne’s sets, the show also included performances from a variety of bands. They included Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Mastodon, Anthrax, Pantera, Slayer, Alice in Chains, and Halestorm. A variety of star-studded supergroups also performed, with special appearances by Steven Tyler, Ronnie Wood, Billy Corgan, Sammy Hagar, Disturbed’s Dan Draiman, Tom Morello, and many more.
All the bands played at least one Black Sabbath or Ozzy solo tune in their set.
(Photo by Chelsea Lauren/WireImage)
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