Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has shared his emotional and detailed reflections on Ozzy Osbourne‘s final, historic concert, describing the collective sense of relief and joy that washed over the musicians and fans when Black Sabbath took the stage and sounded “great, if not better than ever”—a triumph that made the news of Osbourne’s passing just two weeks later all the more “stunning.”
Speaking on The Howard Stern Show on Wednesday, August 6, Ulrich recounted his experience at the “Back To The Beginning” event, a day that held immense personal significance for him and his band. He began by acknowledging the deep debt of gratitude Metallica owes to the Osbournes.
“My relationships with these guys go back to opening for Ozzy on ‘The Ultimate Sin’ tour in 1986,” Ulrich said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “Really, Ozzy and Sharon introduced Metallica to a mainstream audience.” In a statement released after Osbourne’s death, Metallica reiterated this, calling him their “Hero, icon, pioneer, inspiration, mentor, and most of all, friend.”
This long history made their participation in the July 5 farewell concert a non-negotiable. Walking into the star-studded event at Villa Park was a “pinch-me moment” for the veteran drummer. But beneath the excitement, there was a shared sense of nervous anticipation about the headlining performance.
“I think there was a sense from all the musicians and fans of Black Sabbath, we were hoping for the best, we wanted it to be the best, we wanted it to be a grand slam, but we didn’t know, because ultimately none of us knew what kind of shape they were in,” Ulrich admitted.
That uncertainty vanished the moment the band began to play. “And then they started playing ‘War Pigs‘, and I think instantly for all of us who were watching, it was just, like, ‘Okay, it’s gonna be fine. They sound great, if not better than ever.’ And then Ozzy came in singing. Everybody was just, like, ‘They’re gonna f**king kill it,'” he recounted. Metallica themselves paid tribute on stage that day, opening their own six-song set with the Sabbath classic “Hole In The Sky.”
The triumphant performance made the news of Osbourne‘s death just 17 days later an even more profound shock. “Nobody walked away going, ‘That’s the last time we’ll see Ozzy.’ [We thought], ‘We’ll see him at some event, or we’ll be there to present another award for him,'” Ulrich said. “So when he passed two weeks later, we were all just so stunned. That was the word that was being texted around… ‘This is just so f**king stunning.'”
Like others who were there, Ulrich now wonders if the concert was the final goal Osbourne had set for himself. “Maybe it was just the load off his shoulders that he got to accomplish what he wanted, and then maybe he just sort of let go. Who knows?”
