Jack Osbourne recently recalled how Tony Iommi berated Ozzy Osbourne for singing flat during the soundcheck for “Back to the Beginning,” telling Billy Corgan in a recent interview how the exchange illustrated the duo’s closeness and why it was so important for their professional dynamic.
Jack Osbourne said Tony Iommi was the one person who could honestly push Ozzy Osbourne to be better, even in front of a massive crowd. He explained that while Tony and Ozzy’s relationship could be contentious at times, it was ultimately like family — with Tony, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward being brothers who had shared their entire lives together.
Looking back at the emotional “Back to the Beginning” moment in 2025 — especially knowing Ozzy would pass soon after — Jack believes Tony did the right thing by urging Ozzy on. In his view, it was a final, loving push from someone who knew it was the last time and wanted Ozzy to give everything he had.
“[Ozzy] was soundchecking, so he wasn’t going to go out there with his A-game on. He was just making sure everything worked, and ran through the set. And Tony said, ‘Hey, you’re singing flat.’ And my dad got really pissed off. He was upset. And my mom was like, ‘Oh, you know dad.'”
“I was like, ‘No, I think it’s a good thing.’ I think it’s a good thing because, out of the 40-whatever-thousand people at that stadium, the only person in that stadium that could ever say to my dad, ‘Hey, do better,’ was Tony. And I think everyone needs someone like that.”
He added:
“Although Tony and my dad’s relationship over the years had its times of being contentious, it was family. They were brothers: Geezer, Bill, like, closest family that anyone could ever ask [for]. They’ve done life together.”
“Back to the Beginning” became one of rock music’s defining moments in 2025 — if not in recent history. With that context, and the fact that Ozzy would pass soon after, Jack believes that Tony Iommi did the right thing:
“As I look back on it, I’m like, ‘No, I think that that was OK to say, because they knew it was the last time. And it was like, ‘Hey, get out there, everyone needs to give it.”
