Rob Halford Not Playing At Black Sabbath’s Final Show, Sharon Osbourne Even Offered Private Plane For Him

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has expressed deep regret over his unavoidable absence from Black Sabbath‘s highly anticipated final concert, dubbed “Back To The Beginning,” which will also feature Ozzy Osbourne‘s last-ever solo performance. The “Metal God” explained that a prior commitment for Judas Priest to perform at the 60th-anniversary show for German rock legends Scorpions on the exact same day, July 5, 2025, makes his attendance at the Birmingham spectacle impossible.

The scheduling conflict, which sees the Scorpions‘ celebration in Hannover, Germany, clash with Sabbath’s historic farewell at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK, means Judas Priest will be one of the few iconic metal acts not present. Speaking to Metal Hammer, Halford revealed how the situation unfolded.

“I had no idea (the Sabbath show) was happening!” he said. His commitment to the Scorpions event was made after being approached by German promoter Ossy Hoppe. “He came in to see me at one of our last shows and says, ‘Would you consider doing something really special and important? I’m putting on the Scorpions for their 60th anniversary, in their hometown. Would you work with the band?’ And I was just like, ‘Done! We’ve got no plans it’s all good.’”

Once the Scorpions and Judas Priest billing was announced, Halford received a call from Ozzy Osbourne‘s wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne. “Suddenly I get this phone call: ‘Robbie, I know you’ve got this gig with Scorpions but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys, he’d love to see you.’”

Sharon Osbourne even offered to arrange a private plane to fly Halford between Germany and Birmingham on the day, evoking memories of Phil Collins‘ transatlantic Live Aid dash in 1985. “My mind went to Phil Collins when he did Live Aid, where he got on the Concord from London to Philadelphia to play two gigs in two places,” Rob recalled. “He was there before he left, thanks to the timezones!”

However, Halford ultimately deemed the ambitious plan too risky. “Even with a private plane, there’s a word called ‘technical’, where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems… I was absolutely gutted,” he explained, emphasizing the potential for logistical nightmares.

Despite his absence, Halford noted that the “spirit of the band” would be represented at the Sabbath show by founding Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, who left the group in 2011 but is scheduled to appear.

“All my mates are going to be there though, great bands and artists,” Halford continued. “It’s a wonderful and epic moment for Sabbath and heavy metal – it re-emphasizes that Birmingham is where metal came from.” He has previously lauded Black Sabbath, citing their self-titled debut album as a key influence.

The “Back To The Beginning” event, which sold out in under ten minutes, is set to be a monumental occasion. It will mark the first performance in 20 years by the original Black Sabbath lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. The bill also boasts an extraordinary lineup of rock and metal royalty, including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice In Chains, Halestorm, Lamb Of God, Anthrax, and Mastodon.

Meanwhile, Judas Priest recently concluded the touring cycle for their 2024 album Invincible Shield on May 7, 2025, in Monterrey, Mexico. The band has a busy summer ahead with numerous festival appearances, the Scorpions‘ anniversary show, and a selection of headline dates celebrating the 35th anniversary of their landmark album Painkiller. Following these engagements, Judas Priest will co-headline an extensive tour in Europe and North America with shock rock icon Alice Cooper from July through October 2025.