Ozzy Osbourne knows he doesn't have much time left. The heavy metal legend's days of intense touring are officially in the past, but the 74-year-old hopes he'll be able to say goodbye to his fans with at least one more proper concert.
Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne spoke about a potential final concert and his health issues during a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK
"If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi guys, thanks so much for my life,'" the star told Rolling Stone UK during an exclusive interview. "That’s what I’m working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man."
Osbourne admitted he doesn't have much time left to make that happen. "At best, I’ve got ten years left," he said. "When you’re older, time picks up speed."
The rock star also discussed the serious health problems he's suffered in recent years. He's had four different spinal surgeries in the wake of a 2019 fall. The accident dislodged the metal rods placed in Osbourne's back after a near-fatal ATV crash in 2003.
"It’s really knocked me about," he said. "The second surgery went drastically wrong and virtually left me crippled. I thought I’d be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one they put a fucking rod in my spine. They found a tumor in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all that out too. It’s pretty rough, man, and my balance is all fucked up."
Osbourne added that he continues to struggle with Parkinson's disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2003.
The legendary frontman also found a second to knock Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler. The two created the band in Birmingham in 1968 with guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward. Black Sabbath is widely regarded as the world's first heavy metal band. Osbourne subsequently embarked on a storied solo career after departing the band in 1979, enjoying huge success with albums Blizzard of Oz and No Rest for the Wicked.
"When his son was fucking born, I phoned him every f**king night even though we were at war with each other," Osbourne said of Butler. But he alleged the bassist hasn't returned the favor in their golden years. "It’s sad, man. We all grew up together, and he can’t pick up the f**king phone like a man and see how I’m doing."
Butler disputed this narrative in an Instagram post over the weekend.
"I made 2 different attempts at getting in touch during his illnesses," the bassist said. "My first email (8 Feb, 2019) went through his office because I didn’t have Ozzy’s new number to text him. Sharon responded but I didn’t hear back from Ozzy. 11 months later (21 Jan, 2020), I emailed Sharon to check on Oz. That email went unanswered. I don’t want to engage in a tit for tat. Having made 2 attempts to wish Ozzy well, without a reply, I figured it best to privately keep him in my thoughts."
