When Black Sabbath reunited for their farewell performance in July 2025, it wasn’t just a momentous musical event. For bassist Geezer Butler, it was a deeply personal reunion with a lifelong friend, Ozzy Osbourne, whom he hadn’t seen or spoken to in six years.
The rift, rooted in personal tensions involving their wives, kept the two bandmates apart after the band’s final tour in 2017. But in 2024, the walls began to crumble when Butler and Osbourne appeared together in an ad for their beloved Aston Villa. The connection, once reestablished, paved the way for one last ride together on stage.
Butler opened up about the emotional reunion on his wife Gloria’s podcast, revealing his shock at seeing Osbourne’s deteriorated health. Though aware of Ozzy’s ongoing struggles, the reality hit hard when the frontman arrived at rehearsals needing help to walk and sit while singing. Still, in true Ozzy fashion, he cracked jokes and kept spirits high.
Their friendship spanned 57 years, forged long before the riffs of “Paranoid” and “War Pigs” shook the world. Butler recalled their daily text exchanges and mutual affection, making the reconnection all the more meaningful.
“Back to the Beginning,” held at Villa Park, wasn’t just a powerful goodbye—it made history, becoming the most successful charity concert of all time, raising $190 million for Parkinson’s research and children’s hospitals.
Seventeen days later, the world lost Ozzy Osbourne. He passed away at his home in Buckinghamshire on July 22, 2025, leaving behind a legacy etched in rock history and a final performance that resonated far beyond the stage.