Rocker Tom Morello is shedding light on Ozzy Osbourne’s final Black Sabbath show.
The late metal god’s friend, 61, shared that Osbourne knew the Black Sabbath’s “Back to the Beginning” farewell concert on July 5 would be his last performance.
The Prince of Darkness died at age 76 on July 22.
Morello reflected on being appointed the musical director for the benefit concert in Birmingham, England, by Osbourne and his wife, Sharon.
While on Chicago’s Q101 radio station on Saturday, the guitarist for Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave described Osbourne as “one of the all-time greats.”
Morello’s goal with the concert was to put together “the greatest day in the history of heavy metal.”
“I laid out to make it a great show for fans and for them,” he said, revealing that the band “got to play and feel the love not just from the bands, not just from the 40,000 people in the stadium but from people all over the world.”
“The fact that he lived to play and feel that love and to one more time… You know, to do ‘Paranoid;’ to do ‘Crazy Train.’ If you have got to go — I mean, I wish Ozzy that lived another 30 years — but if you’ve got to go out, it really felt like he knew,” Morello mused.
During the concert, Osbourne sat in a black throne while he sang five songs solo. He was then accompanied by his former bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler for four final Black Sabbath tunes.
“On the day, a million things could have gone wrong, and maybe like three things did. But it felt like a spiritually great moment for all fans of rock and roll,” Morello reflected. “Ozzy and Sabbath could not be more important to me personally as a fan and as an artist.”
He called the rock star’s death “a tragedy,” but said it was “a miracle” that Osbourne “lived as long as he did.”
“Ozzy Osbourne’s lived a pretty on-the-edge lifestyle for a long time,” he admitted.
Morello also felt the former reality star saw the concert as an opportunity to bow out on a high note.
“He had been frail for a while, but friends of mine saw him a week later. He was at another event in Birmingham a week later,” Morello added.
Osbourne’s family previously confirmed the news of his passing in a statement to The Post last month.
They stressed that the heavy metal icon died “surrounded by love.”
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” the statement read. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”
According to a death certificate obtained by The Sun, Osbourne died from cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease.
The certificate was submitted by Osbourne’s daughter, Aimee Osbourne, at a registry in London, per the New York Times.
Osbourne was laid to rest near the lake of his Buckinghamshire home on July 31. Around 110 people reportedly attended the private ceremony.
Along with immediate family members, Osbourne’s longtime guitarist, Zakk Wylde, was also in attendance and led the mournful procession.
“The day was incredibly emotional,” a source told The Sun at the time. “Pictures of Ozzy were dotted throughout the house and a photograph of him was given to everyone who attended to take home with them.”
The insider concluded, “Ozzy wanted his final place of rest to be at home and he is buried at a beautiful point on the lake.”
One day prior, a funeral procession was held in the streets of Osbourne’s hometown in Birmingham, England.
His widow Sharon, 72, and their kids, Kelly, 40, Jack, 39, and Aimee, 41, along with Osbourne’s son Louis, 50, joined thousands of fans in the streets to say their goodbyes.
Before Osbourne’s death, the musician spoke in depth about his legacy.
He said, “Survival is my legacy,” during a 2022 interview with People.
The former Black Sabbath frontman confirmed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2020. Osbourne had also undergone multiple surgeries in recent years.
“I mean, I’m 73. People go, ‘Well, you’re 70… why don’t I throw the towel in?’ Why should I? People still want to buy my records,” he told the outlet at the time. “People still want to see me, so why should I? It motivates me to get off my backside and do something. I mean, if my career had gone down the toilet and I knew it was the end, I’d be pretty miserable.”
Osbourne wanted others to “never give up.”
“If you’ve got a passion for something, you’ve got to find a way around it to carry on the passion,” the Grammy winner said.
In 2018, Osbourne told The Guardian: “I’d like to be remembered for the work I did with Black Sabbath. I’m so proud of the music. But to be honest, just being remembered would be an achievement to me.”
He added, “I come from Aston in Birmingham, y’know? I used to play on bombsites… There’s a guy living in the house I grew up in, and they charge people £200 to sleep in the bedroom I had as a kid.”
