Zakk Wylde has opened up about his final moments with Ozzy Osbourne, reflecting on their decades-long friendship and the emotional remaining efficiency they shared earlier this month at Birmingham’s Villa Park.
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Talking to Guitar World following Osbourne’s dying on July 24, the guitarist recalled their final time onstage collectively throughout the Again to the Starting charity live performance, the place Black Sabbath reunited for one remaining send-off.
Wylde described the evening as “enterprise as typical” by way of enjoying Ozzy’s solo materials, noting the songs are “ingrained in my head.” However greater than delivering an ideal efficiency, his precedence was “ensuring that Oz was okay.”
“With ‘Mama, I’m Coming House,’ once we acquired the acoustic out, I needed to be like, ‘Maintain the guitar away from the microphone so I can sing,’ as a result of Oz’s voice was having hassle at sure notes,” Wylde stated. “I used to be like, ‘I would like to ensure I’m all the time there so I can double him.’”
The efficiency ended up being their final in-person second. “Seeing Oz onstage when Sabbath acquired completed, that’s the final time I noticed him,” Wylde shared. “I’m blessed and grateful, man. Something apart from that may be egocentric. And on prime of it, to exit with what’s the biggest-grossing charity occasion of all? That’s unbelievable. He helped a complete lot of individuals as a substitute of constructing a revenue. My God, what an unbelievable grasp. What an unbelievable life.”
Whereas he didn’t get to spend time with Osbourne backstage amid the group of tourists, Wylde obtained a heartfelt textual content from Ozzy after the present.
“Everyone and their mom had been within the backstage dressing room and I simply wished to offer him a break,” Wylde defined. “I figured we’d see him in a while — the subsequent day or no matter. However no. The final textual content I acquired from Oz was saying, ‘Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse again there. I didn’t see you.’ He goes, ‘Thanks for all the things.’ It was simply us speaking, saying, ‘I really like you, buddy.’ That was it.”
Wylde, who has lengthy thought of Osbourne household — Ozzy is godfather to his eldest son — added: “Whether or not I used to be enjoying with him or not, if Sharon referred to as me and my spouse up and stated, ‘Guys, are you able to watch the home whereas we’re away on a enterprise journey?’ I’d do it. It’s like, ‘Should you want me to deliver milk and eggs over, I’ll do it.’”
He continued, “With all your folks in your life, lions entice lions, ? And the hyenas you hang around with, that kinds itself out later! However Ozzy was the easiest-going, warmest man. He was really easy to get together with.”
Wylde is ready to hold on Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s legacy via his band Zakk Sabbath, who’re as a consequence of embark on a U.S. tour starting Oct. 30. He’s additionally at present on the highway with Pantera, whose tour was briefly paused following Osbourne’s dying however will resume on Aug. 2.