S Poddar
Sharon Osbourne has confirmed to Planet Rock that Ozzy Osbourne is set to head back to the UK in March, months before Black Sabbath’s much-anticipated “Back to the Beginning” concert.
Back in August 2022, Ozzy spoke to The Observer about his decision to leave Los Angeles and move back to the UK with Sharon after spending over two decades in America. Showing his irritation, he said, “Everything’s f—ing ridiculous (in America).” Although the strong commitment was made, the relocation was postponed as a result of a series of health issues. In January, Sharon announced that Ozzy was still keen to go back home, and now it seems that the much-awaited transition is underway at last.
In an interview with Planet Rock’s Loz Guest, Sharon mentioned Ozzy’s enthusiasm for the concert ahead and assured that he will return in the UK very soon. Asked if Ozzy had arrived in the country already, she said, “No, he’s coming over in March. His brothers (in Black Sabbath), he’s excited to be here with them.”
When asked if they were still in the process of making a permanent relocation, Sharon answered firmly, “Yeah, we are.”
The hype surrounding Black Sabbath’s “Back to the Beginning” concert has attracted big-name acts willing to be part of the event. Sharon revealed that legendary bands didn’t think twice about joining the cause.
“(Black Sabbath) are the pioneers of this genre of music, and they have been around so long, and their body of work is so important, that’s it (the bands on the line-up said) ‘yeah, sure, we’ll be there!’” she explained.
She also remembered how simple it was to engage Metallica, stating, “When you ring Metallica and you tell them what you’re attempting to do and they go, ‘we’re there mate. No problem.’
One of the highlights of the forthcoming concert is the return of drummer Bill Ward to the stage with Black Sabbath. Sharon explained how Ozzy personally called Bill to inquire if he would like to be included in the event.
“Ozzy called Bill and said, ‘we are going to do this, would you be involved?’ And he just said ‘yeah, I’ll be there.’ He was like ‘I’ll be there whatever. Whatever I can play, I’m playing. Regardless of what I’ll be on that stage!'”
The game will be especially meaningful for Ozzy since it will be his first time inside Villa Park, which is near his birthplace in Birmingham. Sharon explained how, as a boy, Ozzy could not afford to go to games and so he decided to join the matchday experience in another way.
“Ozzy used to stand outside watching cars because he couldn’t afford to come in and watch a game,” she said.
The concert at Villa Park will be especially emotional for Ozzy since he has never been in the stadium itself. “Seriously. He’s never been inside because he couldn’t afford a ticket. So, he would watch cars outside for a shilling and that’s as close as he ever got.”
The interview also discussed the preparations for the concert, such as the setlist. Guitarist Tony Iommi disclosed that there have been talks about what songs to play.
“Had a few messages from Ozzy regarding some of the tracks,” Tony revealed. “There’s so many of them he’d written that we couldn’t possibly do all of ’em! We haven’t decided specifically which (songs) yet, but I reckon we sort of have an idea.”
Fans waiting for the event can listen to Planet Rock’s entire 14-minute interview with Tony Iommi and Sharon Osbourne on their website. The special “Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning” broadcast will also be shown again on Planet Rock tonight at 9 PM.
Listeners can listen to Planet Rock on DAB across the country, the Rayo app, online, or on smart speakers by just saying, “Play Planet Rock.”
In other news, Ozzy Osbourne’s modest origins in Aston, Birmingham, continue to be an important part of his narrative. A look at his childhood residence highlights his path from humble roots to global rock stardom, making his highly anticipated return to the UK even more meaningful.
With his return home at last underway and an historic Black Sabbath performance coming up, 2025 is going to be a year to remember for the Prince of Darkness.
