Black Sabbath played their final concert in 2017, but Ozzy Osbourne feels the band’s story didn’t come to a satisfying conclusion.
During the latest episode of his Madhouse Chronicles show, Ozzy’s co-host, Billy Morrison, asks him if he’s “happy with the arc of the legend of Black Sabbath.”
“No,” Ozzy replies. “Because it wasn’t Black Sabbath that finished it. It’s unfinished.”
Ozzy is referring to the fact that Sabbath’s final gig did not feature founding drummer Bill Ward. While he was originally set to be part of Sabbath’s reunion when it was announced in 2011, Ward ended up not taking part amid a falling out between him and the rest of the band. Tommy Clufetos, who plays drums in Ozzy’s solo band, manned the kit for the final Sabbath tour, while Rage Against the Machine‘s Brad Wilk played on their final album, 2013’s 13.
“It wasn’t really Black Sabbath,” Ozzy says of the Ward-less album and tour. “If you had [late Cream drummer] Ginger Baker playing with The Beatles, it wouldn’t be The Beatles.”
Ozzy adds that he would “jump at the chance” to play “one more gig” with Ward.
“Do you know what would be cool?” he says. “If we went to a club unannounced and we just got up and [played] … ’cause we started up in a club.”
In other Black Sabbath related news, bassist Geezer Butler‘s memoir, Into the Void, will be available on paperback June 18. The book was first released in 2023.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
