Tony Iommi on Ozzy Osbourne | Final Talk & New Solo Album

A Final Conversation Before the End

Tony Iommi recently spoke with the Loudwire Nights podcast about the weeks surrounding the final Black Sabbath performance at the Back To The Beginning concert. The show, which served as a conclusion for the legendary heavy metal group, took place in the summer of 2025. It marked a heavy moment for the band members and their fans alike.

Iommi described a personal phone call that occurred just hours before Ozzy Osbourne died. The vocalist told the guitarist that he felt worn out. The exhaustion was palpable. Iommi attributed this state to the mounting stress and pressure of the concert cycle, yet the news of Osbourne's death the following day caught the guitarist off guard. It remains a raw memory for the man who co-founded the group.

The Reality of the Final Show

The performance itself presented a difficult visual for Iommi. He was used to seeing Osbourne move around the stage, interacting with the band members and pulling faces. During this final show, the vocalist sat on a throne. Iommi admitted that he struggled with this shift in staging. It changed the chemistry he had known for decades.

Iommi spent much of the show standing near drummer Bill Ward. He felt detached from the usual energy of the stage performance. Despite these personal reservations, the guitarist expressed gratitude that the band managed to hold that specific event at all. The footage of the final show captured a moment in music history that Iommi believes is still hard to process fully.

Moving Forward With New Music

Transitioning from the end of a career-defining era, Iommi is now focused on his first solo album in over 20 years. Titled From The Dark, the project features a mix of local Birmingham musicians. He is working to define his sound outside the structure of his former band. The process has been a shift in pace for the veteran performer.

Brian May appears on the record as the only guest musician. The two have maintained a friendship for nearly 60 years. Iommi invited May to contribute to additional tracks, but the Queen guitarist declined out of respect for Iommi's vision. This loyalty defines their relationship. Iommi recalls Eddie Van Halen as the only other peer with whom he maintained a similarly close, lifelong connection. The record serves as a testament to these enduring bonds.