Premier, a creative agency known for its work in entertainment, arts, and culture, has released a new interview with Ozzy Osbourne ahead of this weekend’s highly anticipated Back To The Beginning concert. The event takes place Saturday, July 5, at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, and marks a historic reunion of Black Sabbath’s original lineup — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward — performing together for the first time in two decades.
They’ll be joined by a staggering lineup of legendary metal and rock acts: Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Rival Sons — with the entire event now confirmed for a global livestream.
In the Q&A, Ozzy opened up about what this final performance means to him: Calling the performance his “final encore,” Ozzy said the show is “my chance to say thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me.” There was no question in his mind about where this goodbye had to happen. “I couldn’t have done my final show anywhere else,” he explained. “I had to go back to the beginning.”
He hopes that the night resonates with fans on a personal level. “I hope they feel appreciated for how much they mean to me,” he said, noting the emotional connection he feels to his supporters.
Originally, a livestream of the concert hadn’t been planned. But interest from around the world made it clear that many wanted to be part of the moment, even from afar. “We never meant to have a livestream; it wasn’t in our plan,” Ozzy admitted. “I was just surprised how many people we were contacted by to do one, and so it seemed a great chance for people who didn’t have the opportunity to get a ticket to be able to see the show.”
For Ozzy, Villa Park holds personal memories beyond music. “My memories of Villa Park when I was growing up were: Every Saturday when there was a match, I would go out with my friends and stand outside the Villa asking people for a shilling to watch their car,” he recalled.
The massive lineup of iconic artists joining the show only deepens his gratitude. “It means everything,” he said. “I am forever in their debt for showing up for me and the fans. I can’t quite put it into words, but I feel very emotional and blessed.”
Asked whether this moment marks an ending or a new chapter, Ozzy was clear: “It’s a goodbye as far as my live performances go, and what a way to go out.”
The sold-out Back To The Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow concert will stream globally here, with live access beginning at 3:00 p.m. (BST) on July 5. Fans will also have 48-hour rewatch access following the event.
The concert will be captured, produced, and distributed by Mercury Studios in partnership with streaming platform Kiswe, the same team behind BTS’s record-breaking concert stream.
