As the legendary group Shaded Sabbath gears up for their final show, bassist Geezer butler has shared his thoughts on the deep impact of their musical journey.
The renowned band—comprised of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—is scheduled to come together once more on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham. Dubbed Aiding the Beginning Keep, this event is not merely a nostalgic celebration; it aims to provide closure after five decades of heavy metal evolution, with proceeds directed towards ParkinsonS disease research and children’s charities. While this farewell concert is monumental, emotions are running high behind the scenes.
“I’m already feeling quite anxious,” Butler revealed in an interview with The Guardian. “Honestly, I had a distressing dream last night where everything went wrong on stage, and we all turned to dust. it’s essential that we leave a memorable mark since this will be our final performance for fans. It needs to be spectacular.”
This sense of unease likely resonates beyond just Butler. Although plans for the reunion have been underway for several months—initially announced back in February—it represents a complex interplay of reconciliation, timing, and personal stakes.
the path leading up to this moment began with simple text messages and phone calls. After facing some health issues himself, Osbourne reconnected with drummer Bill Ward.As for Butler’s involvement, Osbourne humorously noted that hosting the concert at Aston Villa’s home ground might have influenced his decision: “My first thought was: that’ll make Geezer realy happy.”
however, not everyone was immediately enthusiastic about reuniting.Guitarist Tony Iommi expressed his initial reservations: “I was one who said ‘I don’t know if we should do this,’ because we had already completed our farewell tour and I didn’t want us to fall into that trap like so many other bands do by claiming it’s their last tour onyl to return again later. But I’ve been convinced because we’re doing it for an important cause.”
Despite thes emotional motivations and charitable goals,uncertainties remain—especially regarding ozzy Osbourne’s health condition. The original lineup hasn’t performed together since 2005; even now there’s no definitive plan concerning how they will present themselves on stage during this historic event. “I imagine Ozzy will be seated on some kind of throne,” admits Iommi candidly.”But honestly, I’m as much in the dark as anyone else.”
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