Ozzy Osbourne wants one more Black Sabbath gig with Bill Ward: "It's unfinished"

17 May 2024, 18:40

Black Sabbath reunion press conference in 2011 — Black Sabbath at their reunion press conference in 2011. Picture: Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty

By Jenny Mensah

The Prince Of Darkness wants the chance to bring the band to a close properly by playing with their original drummer.

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Ozzy Osbourne would "jump at the chance" to play a final Black Sabbath show with original drummer Bill Ward.

The band was co-founded by Osbourne and Ward together with guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler and, though although Ozzy was fired from the heavy metal outfit in 1979, the original line-up announced their reunion tour in 2011.

Ward left the band prior to the recording of their final studio album and backed out of their tour plans in early 2012, citing an "unreasonable contract" as the reason for his departure, leaving Ozzy's drummer Tommy Clufetos to step in.

Now, Ozzy Osbourne has admitted he wants to play with the band and Ward again, telling pal Billy Morrison on The Madhouse Chronicles he feels their story is "unfinished".

When asked about playing the band's final show in 2017 and if he felt glad it was done," Ozzy replied: "Yeah, but I was sad that Bill wasn’t there. I mean Tommy Clufetos, my drummer, did a great job, but he ain’t Bill Ward."

Asked if he was happy with the "arc" of Black Sabbath, the Prince Of Darkness said: "No. Because it wasn’t Black Sabbath that finished it. It’s unfinished. If they wanted to do one more gig with Bill, I would jump at the chance."

The Patient Number 9 rocker added: "Do you know what would be cool? If we went to a club or somewhere unannounced and we just got up and did it. We started up in a club."

Meanwhile, the Paranoid singer is set hit another career milestone this year. Osbourne will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2024 as a solo artist, which will make him a two-time inductee after he was previously honoured with Black Sabbath back in 2006.

Reacting to the news he said: "Thank You @RockHall Voters & Fans for this induction. My solo career, has been a much larger part of my overall music career as a whole, so this feels more special. Not bad for a guy who was fired from his last band."

Thank You @RockHall Voters & Fans for this induction. My solo career, has been a much larger part of my overall music career as a whole, so this feels more special. Not bad for a guy who was fired from his last band. pic.twitter.com/qonsnqT0ko
— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) April 22, 2024

The Iron Man rocker now joins a select group of artists to have made the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice or more, including Eric Clapton, Stevie Nicks, Dave Grohl, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ronnie Wood, Lou Reed and Curtis Mayfield.