This Saturday, July 5, the legendary Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath will take the stage for what is being billed as their farewell performance at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK, during the sold-out 'Back To The Beginning' concert event. But if you ask longtime Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, he's not convinced it'll be the final chapter.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Wylde shared his excitement for the all-star event, joking that his role will include "doing dishes and laundry," before clarifying: "No, we're going to play with the boss [Ozzy]. I guess we're scheduled to do a couple songs with Oz, and then sit and watch Sabbath play. And then obviously we're going to jam with Pantera as well."
The monumental sendoff includes performances by Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Gojira, Halestorm, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, Rival Sons, and more. Each act is expected to play a short set consisting of a couple originals and a Black Sabbath cover – with Guns N' Roses reportedly rehearsing "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath."
Wylde offered a breakdown of the tribute format: "I think all the bands are going to do… let's say, if they do three or four songs, do two of their songs and then do one Sabbath song. Everybody's going to pay tribute to Sabbath, and then we'll sit and watch Sabbath at the end of the night, watch them crush it."
Wylde also confirmed the Ozzy Osbourne band lineup for the night will feature:
- Mike Inez (bass)
- Michael Bordin (drums)
- Tommy Clufetos (drums)
- Robert Trujillo (bass)
- Adam Wakeman (keyboards)
Wylde hinted that the lineup will feature "everyone that's played with Ozzy over the years" in some capacity.
Still, despite all the retirement talk surrounding Osbourne and Sabbath, Wylde remains hopeful that this isn't the end. "I'm sure the promoters are going to go, 'Wow, that was pretty amazing. Let's do another world tour right now.' … If Oz sounds great and everything like that, if he wants to continue carrying on singing on a throne… We'll make the throne part of the show. It'd be amazing."
Health issues like Osbourne's Parkinson's diagnosis and Bill Ward's neuropathy remain a challenge, but Wylde humorously offered his solution: "Let's just pump Viagra and Cialis into both of them and let's get this thing going. [Laughs]"
Adding further fuel to fan hopes, Wylde concluded: "Why not? I really think it would be great. If they do this Sabbath thing and it sounds amazing, and Ozzy sings great… Why not, right? You know every promoter's just got their fingers crossed on this one."
In addition to band sets, Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) will lead an all-star tribute jam featuring:
- Andrew Watt
- Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins)
- Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
- Danny Carey (Tool)
- David Draiman (Disturbed)
- David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth)
- Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses)
- Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit)
- Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)
- Jake E. Lee (ex-Ozzy)
- Jonathan Davis (Korn)
- KK Downing (ex-Judas Priest)
- Papa V Perpetua (Ghost)
- Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot)
- Sammy Hagar (ex-Van Halen)
- Slash (Guns N' Roses)
- Soundgarden
- Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
- II (Sleep Token)
- Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
- Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe)
Back To The Beginning will stream live at backtothebeginning.com, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Acorn Children's Hospice.
