Tom Morello ‘honoured’ to have huge role in Ozzy Osbourne's final concert
Tom Morello has a huge role in Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's farewell gig.
Tom Morello is "honoured" to have been chosen to be the musical director for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s ‘Back To The Beginning’ concert.
The Rage Against The Machine star has a huge role in the epic metal all-dayer at Birmingham's Villa Park on July 5, which will see the original lineup of the legendary heavy metal group - also including Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward - reunite for the first time in 20 years.
In an interview with WBEZ Chicago, Morello said: “Heavy metal is the music that made me love music, and Black Sabbath is the band that invented heavy metal. So, when Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne asked me to be the musical director of what's going to be the last Black Sabbath show … I was honoured to do that."
The stacked lineup also includes Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Tool, Slayer, Pantera, and more.
Morello added: “The show is gonna be about 10 hours long, but it's gonna be a salute to a genre that people all around the world love. You know, it's been the music that has really made me love music. I'm interested in a lot of different kinds of music now, but I never would have been interested in any kind of music had it not been for metal.”
The punk rocker will also be taking the stage alongside guitarist Adam Jones of Tool and vocalist Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. The three musicians grew up not far from one another in Northern Illinois.
Morello said: “The three of us are going to play together for the first time ever at the show. So, there'll be an 847 connection.”
After 49 years together, Sabbath broke up in 2017 at the conclusion of their ‘End of the Road’ tour.
Osbourne’s 2003 Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis, in addition to other health problems, forced the ‘Crazy Train’ singer to cancel most of his live performances.
Proceeds from the charity event will be donated to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
