Ozzy Osbourne may have officially retired from taking part in lengthy world tours, but as far as the man himself is confirmed, he'll continue playing shows every now and again, even if he has to be physically wheeled out to do them.
"I remember some good gigs and I’ve done my fair share of fucking bad gigs," he tells Metal Hammer in an exclusive interview in their latest issue, conducted by none other than Tenacious D. "A guitar player can change his guitar. A drummer can change the drum. If my voice goes, I’m fucked. One time I was at a gig at Nassau Coliseum in New York. On the way to the gig, my voice went out. The kids were already there and I thought, ‘What the fuck am I gonna do now?’ I went out and tried to sing and they gave me a standing ovation. The kids would rather see you being bad than go home.
"I mean, doing a live show is what I live for," he continues. "I’ve had to cancel my [2023] European tour but I’m determined. I’ve gotta do more gigs if I have to get someone to wheel me out there. I mean, you can’t retire from this game. It’s not a job, it’s a fucking passion. I don’t know how to do anything else. The thought of sitting in my house all day... I’m a road dog, you know? I’ve been doing it fucking 55 years. It’s the best thing to have ever happened to me.”
Ozzy was recently confirmed for the first ever Power Trip festival, which takes place later this year in California and boasts an insanely heavyweight lineup also featuring Iron Maiden, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, AC/DC and Tool. Ozzy's inclusion in the lineup surprised many given his recent retirement announcement, but it's becoming increasingly clear that Ozzy is determined to continue playing shows while he still can, even if they're only occasional special events.
Read more from Ozzy's special interview with Tenacious D only in the new issue of Metal Hammer magazine, out now. Order your copy here.
