Even if Ozzy Osbourne jokingly quipped—or was quoted—that a guitarist is “a machine that never stops,” few could’ve embodied that sentiment as powerfully as the men at his side. In the weeks since his passing, extraordinary reflective responses have illuminated the synergy that made Black Sabbath legendary and underscored just how deeply Ozzy understood the alchemy behind their sound.
Ozzy’s Final Act & The Band’s Farewell
On July 5, 2025, the original Black Sabbath lineup—Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—took the stage one final time at Villa Park in Birmingham. This benefit concert, titled Back to the Beginning, saw Ozzy perform while seated—his Parkinson’s disease had left him unable to walk—but he delivered a crowning performance of classics like “Paranoid” and “Crazy Train”, in front of 45,000 fans. The show raised a staggering £140 million for charities including Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice. Seventeen days later, on July 22, Ozzy passed away at age 76, succumbing to an acute myocardial infarction amid his long battle with Parkinson’s and heart disease .
Each Member’s “Superpower”
- Tony Iommi, the architect of Sabbath’s thunderous riffs—his mastering of tone and mood was the bedrock. When Ozzy said “machine that never stops,” it was riffs like Iommi’s growingly punishing chord progressions he likely had in mind.
- Geezer Butler, Sabbath’s poet and philosopher, lent a lyrical sharpness and depth—his bass lines couldn’t just anchor music; they provoked thought.
- Bill Ward, the swing and groove wizard behind the drums, brought a fluidity that countered the heaviness and balanced the sonic triptych.
- Ozzy, with his otherworldly vocals and primal stage presence, added that touch of raw magnetism—he turned sonic darkness into devotional spectacle.
Together—like gears in an unrelenting machine—they powered Sabbath’s journey from Birmingham basements to the pantheon of heavy metal.
Farewells and Tributes Flow
- Black Sabbath bandmates paid deeply personal tributes. Bill Ward called Ozzy his “dearest mate,” while Iommi and Butler captured the sense of disbelief and gratitude for their final shared show .
- Tom Morello, who served as musical director at that farewell concert, offered emotional insight: Ozzy seemed aware that his life was nearing its end, yet he delivered a spiritually potent performance that served as both finale and celebration .
- Rob Halford of Judas Priest revealed his own reaction: “I curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out,” before honoring Ozzy with a moving tribute performance of “Giants in the Sky” .
A Legend Laid to Rest
Ozzy’s death on July 22, 2025 shook fans and peers alike, but his farewell was fittingly grand. His funeral procession began at Villa Park, wound through his childhood neighborhood, paused at landmarks tied to Sabbath’s history, and ended with a rare “Paranoid” performance by the Coldstream Guards during a ceremonial changing of the guard—but at Buckingham Palace .
Why This Matters
Ozzy’s tribute to the guitarist-as-“machine” may have been delivered with impulse or affinity—but it captured Sabbath’s essence. Each bandmate was indispensable, their strengths meshing into an unstoppable, iconic force. Balm to the bereaved conversation since his death has been acknowledging all of that: the riffs, the words, the groove—and the uniquely magnetic voice that unified it.
In embracing Ozzy’s irreverent humor (“he could barely string two chords together,” he joked), we’re reminded: he might have downplayed his own musicality, but he knew greatness when he saw it—especially in his bandmates. And in his final act, on his own terms, he ensured the machine welded one last time in full throttle.
Leave a Reply