Zakk Wylde has revealed the emotional final text he received from Ozzy Osbourne — just days before the Prince of Darkness passed away on July 22 at the age of 76.
In a new interview with Guitar World, Wylde, who served as Ozzy’s guitarist and close friend for decades, opened up about their last performance together at “Back To The Beginning” and the message that now carries even more weight.
Reflecting on their final show, Zakk said performing “Mama, I’m Coming Home” was especially intense, as Ozzy was struggling with certain vocal parts: “They’re ingrained in my head,” Zakk said. “With ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home,’ when we got the acoustic out, I had to be like, ‘Keep the guitar away from the microphone so I can sing,’ because Oz’s voice was having trouble at certain notes.
“I was like, ‘I need to make sure I’m always there so I can double him.’ I was like three feet away from the mic when I started. I had to almost stop playing, lift the guitar up, and put it over the mic. It was like juggling chainsaws while riding a skateboard — but that’s how it always was. It’s supposed to be the most important show ever, and everything’s still on the fly.”
When asked about the last time he spoke with Ozzy, Zakk revealed he didn’t get a chance to see him backstage after the show due to the chaos — but received a final message the following day:
“Everybody and their mother were in the dressing room, and I just wanted to give him a break. I figured we’d talk later or the next day. But no. The last text I got from Oz said, ‘Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn’t see you. Thanks for everything.’
“It was just us saying, ‘I love you, buddy.’ That was it.”
Fans will have a final chance to say goodbye to Ozzy during a public procession this Wednesday (July 30) in his hometown of Birmingham.
The cortege will begin at 13:00 BST and pass through Broad Street, eventually stopping at the Black Sabbath Bridge, now covered in fan tributes — from flowers and candles to handwritten notes.
In addition to the procession, the city has provided multiple avenues for mourning. A book of condolence remains open at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, which is also currently hosting the timely “Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero” exhibition. For those unable to attend the procession, Broad Street will be closed to traffic, but a live stream of the Black Sabbath bench will be available online. This final, public tribute allows the global community Ozzy built to say one last goodbye to their hero in the industrial streets that forged the man and his music.
