Ozzy Osbourne: 'It's the End of Sabbath, Believe Me'
Joe DiVita
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
Farewell tours have become a bit of a joke over the last couple decades, with some bands having completed multiple farewell tours and still trekking across the globe. The word has put a sour taste in the mouth of fans, but Black Sabbath fans should have no puckered lips as the band has reiterated that this will be their last tour. Ozzy Osbourne is the latest to chime in and confirm that "The End" will mark the conclusion of the group's touring for good.
Speaking with NOLA.com, the Prince of Darkness stated, "It's the end of Sabbath, believe me. In December, I'll be f--ckin' 68 and I think it's time to call it the end of the day. I'm not saying I won't get on stage with Geezer [Butler] or Tony [Iommi] or any of them some time, but officially we're going to be done." Adding to this, he went on to say, "I don't want it to dwindle and dwindle and play just for the sake of making another f--ckin' sack full of cash. So it's time, and then I'll go back to doing my own thing."
Ozzy's "own thing" will undoubtedly be the long-awaited follow-up to 2010's solo release, Scream. In an interview with Billboard, Epic Records president Sylvia Rhone said, "It's going to be amazing, it's something Ozzy has never done before that he's always wanted to do."
Tony Iommi has also weighed in on this being the band's final tour back in September, citing his battle with lymphoma as the major reason. In an interview with the Birmingham Mail, Iommi disclosed, "I can't actually do this anymore. My body won't take it much more. I don't want [the cancer] creeping back again, and all the traveling involved in Sabbath tours increasingly takes its toll. That's why we're going out on one last tour, to say our farewells. And then it very definitely is the end. We won't be doing it again."
Black Sabbath announced a second North American leg of the tour earlier today (Oct. 27) that will see an additional month of dates beginning in late August. While more dates have been added, it still appears that this will concretely be Sabbath's final run.
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Filed Under: Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne
Categories: Concerts, Metal, News