Last month, several artists who are participating in Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s upcoming final show expressed concern over Osbourne’s ability to perform at the gig. In separate interviews, both Maynard James Keenan and Lzzy Hale admitted that due to Osbourne’s health, they weren’t sure if he would be able to take the stage after all.
Keenan, specifically, said it could take “modern miracles” to “get him on stage to do the songs.”
Now, in an interview with The Guardian, Osbourne – who is battling Parkinson’s disease – promises fans that he will be at Black Sabbath’s upcoming show.
“I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up,” the legendary musician said.
He continued: “I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down.”
“We’re only playing a couple of songs each. I don’t want people thinking ‘We’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath.”
In regards to how he is preparing for the event, Osbourne said:
“I do weights, bike riding, I’ve got a guy living at my house who’s working with me. It’s tough — I’ve been laid up for such a long time. I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It’s like starting all over again. I’ve got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going. I have problems walking. I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs.”
Speaking about his overall health and physical ailments, he added: “You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end.”
Osbourne went on to reveal that Black Sabbath’s reunion concert was conceived by his wife Sharon Osbourne as “something to give me a reason to get up in the morning.”
