Ozzy ‘Can’t Walk,’ But His Voice Is ‘As Good as It’s Ever Been’

Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he currently “can’t walk,” but he’s grateful to still be alive as he prepares to take his final bow during Black Sabbath‘s upcoming reunion show.

The metal extravaganza, dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” will take place on July 5 at Villa Park in Black Sabbath’s hometown of Birmingham, England. It will mark the first show featuring the original Black Sabbath lineup — Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — in two decades and Osbourne’s first proper show since 2018. The event will also feature performances from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon and more.

Osbourne, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020, discussed his state during his SiriusXM radio show on Wednesday. “I have made it to 2025. I can’t walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I’m still alive,” he said (via Consequence). “I may be moaning that I can’t walk, but I look down the road and there’s people that didn’t do half as much as me and didn’t make it.”

Ozzy Osbourne’s Voice ‘Is as Good as It’s Ever Been,’ Sharon Says

The Prince of Darkness told Rolling Stone UK in 2023 that if he returned to the stage, he was “not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy. What’s the fucking point in that? I’m not going up there in a fucking wheelchair.”

But even if he has to renege on that claim, his wife Sharon insisted that Osbourne’s physical limitations have no impact on his voice.

“He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this,” Sharon told The Sun. “Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body, and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”

In the same interview, Iommi admitted the upcoming performance is “going to be very emotional because it’s the end of an end, really. We’ve all known each other for so long. And, yeah, it’s a great event and a great way to end it all.”