"Tom Morello expresses alarm: 'What potential threat do I and my family face?' sharing his life-altering experience with Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath"
Black Sabbath's Farewell Show: A Historic Night in Heavy Metal
On July 5, 2025, Villa Park in Birmingham, England, played host to a momentous event in the history of heavy metal music. The concert, titled "Back to the Beginning," marked the final live performance of legendary band Black Sabbath and lead singer Ozzy Osbourne, with the original lineup performing together for the first time since 2005.
The concert was a culmination of a long-standing musical relationship between Tom Morello, guitarist from Rage Against The Machine, and Sabbath. Morello, who was appointed as the musical director for the gig of the century, had a deep affection for the band since he was around 10 or 11 years old. It was then that he first encountered Black Sabbath, buying the Paranoid record at the age of 12 or 13.
Morello's goal for the concert was to create the greatest day in the history of heavy metal as a salute to the band that started it all. He succeeded in assembling an all-star lineup, including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, and Slayer, emphasizing Black Sabbath's broad influence across different music genres.
Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward were present at the show. Despite advanced Parkinson’s disease, Ozzy performed seated yet maintained remarkable charisma and vocal performance, inspiring emotional responses from the sold-out crowd of 40,000 and millions more via livestream.
The setlist included iconic songs like "War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Children of the Grave," and "Paranoid," which helped define the heavy metal genre. Their performance, along with the presence of other legendary bands, highlighted the lasting impact Black Sabbath has had on heavy metal and rock music.
The cultural influence of the concert extends beyond the music. It united generations of musicians and fans around the roots of heavy metal while supporting important social causes through charity. Proceeds from the official Back To The Beginning programme, available from the official Louder store, went to the Big Issue.
The forthcoming concert film, Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow, scheduled for early 2026, will further cement the event’s legacy by sharing this historic moment worldwide, emphasizing the band’s foundational influence on multiple music genres including heavy metal, hard rock, and beyond.
Tragically, just over two weeks after the show, Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of 76. Despite this sad loss, the legacy of Black Sabbath lives on, symbolizing both the end of an era and the enduring legacy of heavy metal’s origins.
[1] The Guardian. (2025, July 6). Black Sabbath bid farewell with emotional final show. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/06/black-sabbath-bid-farewell-with-emotional-final-show
[2] Rolling Stone. (2025, July 6). Black Sabbath's Farewell Show: A Historic Night in Heavy Metal. Retrieved from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/black-sabbath-farewell-show-historic-night-heavy-metal-1308025/
[3] Louder. (2025, July 5). Black Sabbath's Farewell Show: A Benefit Event for Charity. Retrieved from https://www.louder.com/news/black-sabbaths-farewell-show-benefit-event-charity/
- The drummer, Tom Morello, forged a deep bond with Black Sabbath, serving as the musical director for their historic farewell concert, having been inspired by the band since his youth.
- The 'Back to the Beginning' concert, a culmination of metal's roots, saw the original lineup of Black Sabbath together for the first time since 2005, with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward, and Ozzy Osbourne performing on July 5, 2025, in Birmingham, England.
- The EP of the concert, 'Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow', is set for release in early 2026, offering fans worldwide a snapshots of the iconic night that brought together the giants of heavy metal music and entertained millions through livestream.
- Reviewers from publications such as The Guardian and Rolling Stone hailed the event as a historic night in heavy metal music, with Ozzy Osbourne's emotional performance, despite his advanced Parkinson’s disease, stunning a sold-out crowd of 40,000 at Villa Park and millions more online.
- Prog and Rock music fans alike embraced the live concert, with bands like Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, and Slayer joining forces to honour the band that ignited the heavy metal genre.
- The concert wasn't only about music; it was also a platform for social change, with proceeds from the official programme supporting the Big Issue and motivating fans to unite around the common ground of heavy metal's roots.
- In an interview, Morello emphasized that the goal was to create the greatest day in the history of heavy metal, highlighting Black Sabbath's impact on multiple music genres, and do justice to the band that started it all.
