Ozzy Osbourne Hopes Black Sabbath Can Play One More Show With Bill Ward

Black Sabbath Reunion Press Conference

Ozzy Osbourne is still recovering from a hellish beginning to 2019, and he's more than six months away from resuming his 'No More Tours 2' farewell jaunt, but none of that is preventing him from looking ahead.

The Prince of Darkness isn't yet at peace with his Black Sabbath career, he says, because co-founding drummer Bill Ward wasn't present at the band's last gig in 2017.

Ward was initially slated to be part of Sabbath's swan song album and tour, but bowed out from the proceedings in 2011, contending he was offered a bad deal. At points, Ozzy expressed questions about Ward's ability to embark on the lengthy world tour.

But the front man later explained he didn't really understand why Ward bowed out of the tour. Guitarist Tony Iommi added that he was frustrated that the band's management couldn't get the deal done with the band's original drummer.

"I didn't like the fact that Bill Ward wasn't there, for a start," Ozzy told Kerrang! in a recent interview, regarding his feelings on Black Sabbath's final show in Birmingham, England, in 2017.

Ozzy added that a lot of people blamed him for Ward's absence, but he says there were a lot of factors, none more significant than the timeline the band was on to do one more album and tour.

"We didn't have the f---ing time to hang around; we had to get going," he said. "But I'm sorry it didn't work out with Bill."

Drummer Tommy Clufetos, who also plays in Ozzy's solo band, filled in for Ward on tour. Ozzy adds that Clufetos "did great, but the four of us started this, and it should have been the four of us ending it."

"Those final gigs in Birmingham were bittersweet because you think of how far we came, and how much we did, and it would have been good to have shared that together," Ozzy added. "Maybe one day there'll be one last gig, I don't know."

Ward downplayed questions about his health throughout Sabbath's last run on tour, but later had to cancel a short North American tour with his band Day of Errors while he battled an issue with his heart. He has said that there is no feud among his former band mates and he was ultimately proud of the music they made and the time they had together.

Earlier this May, Ward was photographed in Los Angeles with Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler attending a Recording Academy salute to Black Sabbath.

As recently as last summer, Ozzy and Iommi have suggested that they could reunite Black Sabbath in 2022 to perform at the Commonwealth Games, which are slated to be held in their hometown of Birmingham.

Photo: Getty Images


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