In a recent interview with NJ.com, Zakk Wylde revealed that Ozzy Osbourne had been eager to create something “heavy” but “more melodic,” reminiscent of his classic 1991 record “No More Tears”.
Wylde recalls: “He was texting me, ‘Zakk, let’s do another record. Because I really loved it when you were going through your Allman Brothers, Skynyrd phase when we did “No More Tears”, it’s heavy but it’s more melodic, it’s not pummelling heavy.’ So I said, ‘Alright Oz, whatever you want.’”
Ozzy passed away on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76, just 17 days after performing his farewell concert,— not far from his childhood neighborhood of Aston.
The emotional event featured two sets: one with his solo band (including Wylde) and another with the original lineup of Black Sabbath. It marked the first time the four members had shared a stage since 2005.
Looking back on the Back To The Beginning, at Villa Park in Birmingham performance, Wylde says he didn’t realize it would be their last time together: “Whatever things that we’ve run into, any obstacles or whatever, it’s always just a speed bump and we’ll get through it. So I wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, this is the last time I’m going to see Oz.’ I just figured we’ll do the gig, and then who knows? You always stay positive on all this stuff.”
Finally, note that on Ozzy’s second memoir, “Last Rites”, which was released posthumously on October 7, just months after his passing, in its final chapter — written shortly after Back To The Beginning — Ozzy revealed that he had already started planning his next solo record, his first since Patient Number 9 in 2022: “Although I won’t be performing again, I’ve already got an idea for a new album,” he wrote.
