Black Sabbath’s blockbuster final show, Back to the Beginning, is only a day away, with half the metal world descending on England’s second-largest city ahead of the event. However, Zakk Wylde, who is set to play a starring role in the event, isn’t fully convinced this is really the end.
For one thing, Sabbath (minus drummer Bill Ward) had supposedly written their final chapter in 2017, with a tour called The End.
For another, Ozzy initially retired in 1992 with the No More Tours road show, only to change his mind. He tried again in 2018 with No More Tours II, but never finished due to his health issues and the COVID pandemic.
The band members' habit of changing their minds makes Wylde hopeful that Back to the Beginning won't be the end of things.
In fact, Wylde, who joined Ozzy’s band in 1987, believes the success of Saturday’s festivities may whet appetites for more.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, he says, “I’m sure the promoters are going to go, ‘Wow, that was pretty amazing. Let’s do another world tour right now.’”
If that were to happen, Wylde has an idea how the band could move forward. Fans may recall that when Ozzy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a second time, in 2024, he sat on a gothic-as-hell throne to accommodate his mobility issues. That, Wylde says, could provide the solution that allows future shows.
“If Oz sounds great [and] if he wants to continue carrying on singing on a throne, we’ll just make the throne so it goes out over the audience,” Wylde says. “It shoots fire and water and dragons come out of it. And we’ll make the throne part of the show. It’d be amazing.
“Why not?” he adds. “I really think it would be great. If they do this Sabbath thing and it sounds amazing, and the only difference is Oz is just sitting down, why not? You know every promoter’s just got their fingers crossed on this one.”
Interestingly, bassist Geezer Butler's thoughts align with Wylde’s thinking, and he isn’t ruling out future shows.
“Every time I think or say it’s over, things like this show come along,” he reasons. “Someone will probably have our DNA and resurrect us in the distant future… Who knows?”
In related news, Tony Iommi says preparations for the show have gone well, but he notes that everyone is on edge about the event.
"We're all nervous really,” he told BBC Midlands Today. "People are coming from all over the world and I just can't absorb it.
"I wouldn't say it's been easy. It's been tough, because none of us are getting younger and to stand there for a couple of hours is tiring.”
Maybe everyone can have a throne?
