Earlier this year, the heavy metal world was sent into a tailspin when it was announced that Ozzy Osbourne would be performing his last-ever live show as part of a historic event that would also see the OG Black Sabbath reunite.
Scheduled for this July, the ‘Back to the Beginning’ concert will feature a solo set by Osborne, as well as special guest performances from a huge bevy of big names, from Metallica, Pantera and Anthrax to Slayer, Alice in Chains, Halestorm and many more.
The entire day is being masterminded by Tom Morello, after the Rage Against the Machine hero was handpicked by the Osbourne camp to serve as musical director for the historic gig.
For Morello, a Sabbath superfan and devout follower of all things heavy metal, it is the MD gig of a lifetime. And as he explains in a new interview with Guitar Player, he’s taking a history-spanning approach to organizing the day – which will also pay tribute to one of Osbourne’s guitarists.
One of the biggest names attached to star in the show is Jake E. Lee – the electric guitar virtuoso who joined Osbourne’s solo band in the early 1980s following the tragic death of Randy Rhoads in 1982.
And, when asked about Lee’s involvement, Morello says he views the event as a tribute to Ozzy’s entire musical lineage – and as such will take the opportunity to honor the memory of Rhoads.
“Yes! Jake E. Lee is going to be there, too, dude! It’s historic on a lot of levels for someone who is a big fan of the Ozzy records,” Morello notes.
“We’re celebrating Black Sabbath, but it’s Ozzy Osbourne’s final show, too,” he continues. “It is, in some ways, also a tribute to the great Randy Rhoads, who was on a poster on my wall when I was practicing eight hours a day.
“That was the musician’s musician. Like, I take the job of curating this day very, very seriously. Not just to honor the living members of Black Sabbath but also Randy Rhoads, who is so important to me personally, and to the genre. To have that be a part of the day, too, is pretty special.”
The Back to the Beginning show is set to take place at Villa Park, Birmingham, UK, on Saturday July 5. Other confirmed guests include Billy Corgan, Duff McKagan, Slash, Sammy Hagar, Wolfgang Van Halen, KK Downing and more.
In related news, Ozzy recently downplayed the role he’ll have during the Sabbath set, saying he’ll only be on hand to do “little bits and pieces” with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.
Elsewhere, it was confirmed that the show will play host to a surprise supergroup comprising members of Tool, Rage Against the Machine and Smashing Pumpkins.
Visit Live Nation for tickets.
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