Tony Iommi Was Initially Against Final Black Sabbath Concert

Tony Iommi admits he was initially against the idea of a final Black Sabbath concert.

On July 5, Ozzy Osbourne, Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward will reunite one last time, part of a star-studded event in Birmingham, England, celebrating the band’s legacy. Excitement surrounding the concert – which will also feature performances by Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Steven Tyler, Metallica, Billy Corgan, Tom Morello and many others – continues to grow. Still, in a recent conversation with The Guardian, Iommi revealed that it took some serious convincing to get him on board.

“I’m the one that said, ‘I don’t know if we should do it’, because we did a farewell tour and I didn’t want to get into that thing like all the other bands are doing, saying it’s the last tour and then reappearing again,” the guitarist explained.

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Iommi went on to reveal what brought him around to the idea. “I’ve been convinced, because we’re doing it for a reason… No one’s getting paid or anything.” Instead, Black Sabbath’s final show – officially dubbed Back to the Beginning – will raise money for Parkinson’s and children’s charities.

Tony Iommi ‘In the Dark’ on How Ozzy Osbourne Will Perform

Back to the Beginning will be especially challenging for Osbourne, who has been plagued by health issues for several years. Iommi conceded he’s not sure how his bandmate, who has faced Parkinson’s disease and multiple spinal surgeries, will handle the rigors of performing.

“I think Ozzy might be on some kind of throne,” the guitarist noted, “but I’m in the dark as much as anybody else.”

Elsewhere, bassist Butler admitted he’s already stressing about the gig.

“I’m already having palpitations,” he confessed. “In fact, I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed everything went wrong on stage and we all turned to dust. It’s important that we leave a great impression, since it’s the final time that people will experience us live. So it has to be great on the night.”