In a new interview with Mark Strigl, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about his participation in Ozzy Osbourne‘s farewell concert in Birmingham, United Kingdon.
Taking place on July 5 at Villa Park, the all-star event — billed as “Back To The Beginning” — sold out in less than 10 minutes last month.
The concert will mark the first time that the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — have played together in 20 years.
Also set to appear at the event are METALLICA, GUNS N’ ROSES, TOOL, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA, ALICE IN CHAINS, HALESTORM, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX and MASTODON.
In addition, there will be a performance by a “supergroup of musicians” including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS ‘N’ ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH),Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),Andrew Watt, Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT),Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR),Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE),David Draiman (DISTURBED),Frank Bello (ANTHRAX),Jonathan Davis (KORN),Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM),Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Sleep Token II (SLEEP TOKEN) and Papa V Perpetua (GHOST).
Asked by Mark Strigl to recount some of his history with Ozzy and the rest of SABBATH, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH>NET): ”I got to know Ozzy pretty well when we did the MEGADETH–BLACK SABBATH tour in 2014, I guess that was, across South America… But, yeah, just getting to know Ozzy just as a gentleman — he’s just such a genuine guy. He’s an old soul in a way, but he’s just a music fan, is, I think, what I took away from it. And he’s not a hippie — I wouldn’t call him a hippie — but when he grew up and his love of rock and roll back into the ’60s, and forgetting for a minute that he’s Ozzy and that he’s the lead singer of BLACK SABBATH and just kind of listening to him talk about Randy [Rhoads] and Mike Inez and just kind of do all that kind of stuff. It was like a guy sitting on the couch, just sitting around bullshitting about music. It was really, really great. So I was very honored for that. And, of course, Geezer and I have been friends. Tony, a little bit. I don’t know Bill Ward. So it’ll be great to see him again.
“It’s funny. When Ozzy went back to BLACK SABBATH in 1998, they played in Phoenix, where I live,” he continued. “They played our, at the time, brand new baseball stadium there where the [Arizona] Diamondbacks play. It was called ‘New Year’s Evil’. And it was on New Year’s Eve. It was SABBATH, PANTERA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and SOULFLY. We performed the show, and then we went right to Nashville right after that, and literally like a couple days after that, had started the ‘Risk’ album. So, it was really kind of a cool way to close the door of ’98, headed to ’99, and, of course, now Ozzy‘s back in SABBATH with Bill Ward. It was huge.
“Yeah, I feel like I’ve had a good friendship with BLACK SABBATH through Ozzy and [his wife and manager] Sharon,” David added. “She had us on an Ozzfest in 1998, I guess, which would have been right before Ozzy went back to BLACK SABBATH… So, I feel like it’s kind of a good — it feels like a family vibe around there. It really does. And I commend Sharon for making it that way, that it’s been like that. And MEGADETH has been a part of that, and they’ve been nothing but gracious to me.”
Ozzy — who hasn’t played a full show since late 2018 — announced his last-ever performance on February 5.
Proceeds from the “Back To The Beginning” show will support Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.
The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson’s. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was ‘stricken” with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.
Ozzy‘s health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 three years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.
While Osbourne‘s health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.
Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last three years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.
Source: blabbermouth.net
