Geezer Butler Recalls Being Shocked by How Ill Ozzy Osbourne Was at Back to the Beginning Rehearsals

With Ozzy Osbourne battling numerous health issues over the year, he dreamed of getting the chance to perform alongside Black Sabbath one last time. On July 5th, that dream became a reality when millions of fans around the world watched the original lineup of Black Sabbath take the stage. Soaking up every second with Ozzy, bassist Geezer Butler recently discussed returning to the studio with the Prince of Darkness and how shocked he was to see his deteriorating health. 

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Appearing on the Gabbing With Girlfriends podcast, Butler explained how six years had passed since he saw Ozzy. But when getting the call about one last show, “I said ‘yeah’ straight away, ‘I’ll do it.’” Knowing how special the moment would be, he soon found himself in the rehearsal studio with Bill Ward and Tony Iommi. 

Even with the years passing by, it only took a few minutes before the group was joking once again. “It’s just a bit of a laugh fest when Tony picks up on taking the piss out of Bill as usual. Bill loves being taken the piss out of. It was just funny doing the old jokes, just talking about the same old stuff. It’s good.”

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Geezer Butler Considered Ozzy’s Final Performance A “Great Note”

Although understanding the health struggles Ozzy battled, Butler was still in a state of shock when seeing him for the first time. “The only shocking bit was when Ozzy came in. I knew Ozzy was very ill, but I didn’t realize how ill he was. I was just shocked to see him like that.” He added, “They had like an armchair set aside so he could sit down to sing through the songs, ’cause he couldn’t stand up.”

While able to perform only a few songs, the band used their time to rehearse and take a trip down memory lane. And for Butler, he insisted that while Ozzy struggled, “he had to crack a few jokes and things.” 

As Ozzy was in high spirits throughout the entire process, Butler considered the Back to the Beginning concert the best farewell to the icon. “I’m so glad it happened like that, that we finished on such a great note.”

Remembered by family, friends, and fans, Ozzy left behind a legacy that will never fade, a voice that defined heavy metal and a spirit that refused to bow even in his final days.

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)