Ozzy Osbourne: 'It's breaking my heart not being on stage'

Ozzy Osbourne has insisted he's not ready to retire and has repeated his vow to return to live action.

Author: Scott ColothanPublished 2nd Mar 2020
Last updated 11th Mar 2020

The 71-year-old metal legend appeared on Good Morning Britain today (Monday 2nd March) to promote his Top 3 album ‘Ordinary Man’ and talk about his torrid past year, which has seen him contract pneumonia, injure his neck in a serious fall and reveal his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

Ozzy, who axed his entire 2020 North American tour last month, says that despite all his setbacks he cannot contemplate not performing live again.

“My desire is to get back on stage,” Ozzy said. “I’m not ready hang up my mic yet. That’s what I live for. To do shows.”

Asked what the doctors think about that, Ozzy replied: “It’s like they say ‘you gotta exercise, you gotta exercise.’

“I exercise as much as I can, I have a trainer, I do pilates, I do all kinds - masseuses, nurses 24/7. But the best medication I can get is being in front of an audience, which is breaking my heart to be honest.”

Questioned about what happens if he won’t perform live again, Ozzy firmly replied: “I will. Absolutely (determined). I will be up there (on stage), I have to say that.

“Because I know you’re gonna say ‘what will you do if you can’t do it again?’ That’s not an option because I will do it. That’s not an option because I will do it. I’m determined to, even if it’s just one show and goodbye, I will do it one more time.

“I’ve got to (perform again). It’s the only thing… Sharon said to me at one point, ‘what are you gonna do if you can’t do it?’ I said to her, ‘there’s no option, I have to do it.’ Because that’s the only thing I’ve ever done in my life. That’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do, that’s the only thing I’ve felt confident about that I can do.”

Ozzy’s No More Tours 2 with special guests Judas Priest is currently due to reconvene at Newcastle Utilita Arena on Friday 23rd October before taking in shows in Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin and Nottingham.

Originally due to take place in January and February 2019, Ozzy first rescheduled the tour for early 2020 due to his pneumonia and severe upper-respiratory infection. However, Ozzy’s “slower than expected” recovery from his fall forced him to postpone it for a second time in October 2019.

Last Friday (28th February), Ozzy’s new album ‘Ordinary Man’ charted at Number 3 in the UK and became his highest charting solo album ever.