Tony Iommi has spoken for the first time since the death of his longtime bandmate and Black Sabbath frontman, Ozzy Osbourne. In an emotional statement shared with ITV News, Iommi reflected on the rock legend’s determination to perform one final concert—believing that very drive may have extended his life.
“It Just Seemed Unreal”: Iommi on the Shock of Losing Osbourne
The guitarist was stunned by the news, revealing how surreal the moment felt.
“It was a shock for us,” Iommi said. “I mean, when I heard yesterday, it couldn’t sink in. I thought, ‘It can’t be.’ I only had a text from him the day before. It just seemed unreal, surreal. And it really didn’t sink in. And in the night, I started thinking about it: ‘God, am I dreaming all this?’ But as I said before, he’s not looked well through the rehearsals.”
Iommi’s reaction speaks to how deeply the loss has affected him. The two shared over five decades of friendship and music.
Was It Ozzy’s Final Mission?
Iommi believes that Osbourne’s legendary final performance may have been the only thing keeping him going.
“I think he really just held out to do that show,” he continued. “I really feel – and me and Geezer were talking about it last night – that we think he held out to do it, and just after that, he’s done it and said goodbye to the fans. And that was the end of it, really.”
This theory highlights the power of passion—and the emotional strength behind Osbourne’s final bow.
A Silent Goodbye After the Curtain Fell
Reflecting on their last backstage moments together, Iommi remembered a quiet yet touching farewell.
“Well, he went to his dressing room and I went to mine and Geez went to his and so on,” he said. “And then he came over. He came around before he was leaving on a wheelchair that brought him in to say goodbye and have a little chat for a bit. And he seemed all right. He enjoyed it. And he said, ‘Oh, it went all right, didn’t it?’ I said, ‘Yeah, it did.’”
“He Was Determined to Do It”
Osbourne’s resilience was evident, even in his final days.
“I think he must have had something in his head that said, ‘Well, this is gonna be it, the last thing I’m ever gonna do,’” Iommi said. “Whether he thought he was gonna die or what, I don’t know. But he really wanted to do it, and he was determined to do it. And fair dues, he’d done it.”
