It’s been roughly a year since Black Sabbath played their final (Back to the Beginning) show and Ozzy Osbourne tragically passed away. In a new interview with Rolling Stone magazine – ahead of his upcoming solo album, From the Dark – guitarist Tony Iommi reflected on both events while confessing that he still doesn’t feel like Ozzy’s gone.

Tony Iommi Reflects on Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne

During the chat – published online on July 29 – Iommi dove into several details regarding From the Dark (including working with vocalist Jørn Lande). Naturally, the conversation then turned to Black Sabbath and Ozzy, with interviewer Kory Grow asking Iommi: “Are you satisfied with Black Sabbath’s legacy being done?”

He replied:

Yeah. The legacy’s been fantastic, really. I think it was a good thing to finish off when we did the Back to the Beginning one, because all the bands who were fans of Sabbath came onto that show, which was just brilliant. And it was so nice of them to all put themselves out to come and play on the same show and no egos or anything. Everybody just got on with it and played. It was great for a final thing with Sabbath to take it together as the original band and finish it off as it should.

Regarding the monumental Back to the Beginning event, Iommi said that it “felt very strange” because they’d “never been onstage with Ozzy in a throne before, sitting down.”

He added:

[Ozzy] was always jumping around, pulling faces, and making me and [bassist] Geezer [Butler] laugh. But on this occasion, I couldn’t see him because he’s in that throne at the front. Obviously, we hadn’t played with [drummer] Bill [Ward] . . . for 20 years, so Bill wanted me to stand back by him just because he was unsure of some bits. And so I did.

Iommi acknowledged how emotional the night was, too, before commenting on the shocking passing of his former bandmate and friend: “Of course, nobody knew Ozzy was going to go not long afterwards either. I knew he weren’t well, but I didn’t expect it to happen that quick.”

On that note, he also mentioned that Ozzy “texted [him] the night before, funny enough, and said he weren’t feeling great and so on.”

“But obviously, most of our conversations to each other have been, ‘How are you feeling? How’s this? How’s that?’ And so it was just another conversation. I didn’t expect him to go overnight. Blimey. It was a hell of a shock, really,” Iommi continued.

Grow subsequently revealed that Ozzy “told [him] in interviews how meaningful it was . . . that [Iommi was] supportive of him [Ozzy] as he healed up in recent years.”

Iommi remarked:

Well, we did stay in touch a lot. And he was going through so many different things and constantly in and out of hospital and having this done and that done. And again, he stood by me when I was diagnosed with cancer. He called me every day. So we’ve been supportive of each other. I do miss our conversations.

Finally, Grow asked Iommi how he’s “handled the last year without [Ozzy],” to which Iommi confessed:

It’s been really strange. I still don’t feel like he’s gone because when I look on YouTube or whatever, there’s something to do with Ozzy, and I see him again and again. It’s almost like he’s still here. It’s really peculiar. Only, we were in touch so many times. That’s what I miss.

Of course, Iommi shared similar details during his first interview after Ozzy’s death (with ITV News at the end of July 2025).

“God, am I dreaming all of this? It was a shock for us,” he began, adding: “I mean, when I heard yesterday, it couldn’t sink in. I thought, ‘It can’t be.’ I only had a text from him the day before. It just seemed unreal, surreal. And it really didn’t sink in.”

Iommi noted as well that the band could tell that Ozzy’s health was declining as they prepared for Back to the Beginning.

We could see it in rehearsal. We didn’t want him there every day at rehearsal because it’s too much. He just wouldn’t be able to stand it. So they’d bring him in and he’d sit down and sing a few songs, and then we’d talk about some rubbish old times or whatever, have a laugh, and then he’d go. And that’s sort of what we did, really. . . . I had the text off him the day before yesterday saying he’s tired and he’s really got no energy. And I thought, “Oh, dear.” ‘Cause it’s a lot for him to do that under the problems he’s got.

Iommi also told ITV News that he thinks Ozzy “really just held out to do that show,” explaining:

I really feel – and me and Geezer were talking about it last night – that we think he held out to do it, and just after that, he’s done it and said goodbye to the fans. And that was the end of it, really. I think he must have had something in his head that said, “Well, this is gonna be it, the last thing I’m ever gonna do.” Whether he thought he was gonna die or what, I don’t know. But he really wanted to do it, and he was determined to do it. And fair dues, he’d done it.

READ MORE: Who Is Jorn Lande? Meet the Singer on Tony Iommi’s New Solo Album ‘From the Dark’

Other Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne + Black Sabbath News

Iommi’s chat with Rolling Stone wasn’t the only time he recently commented on the anniversary of Ozzy’s death.

On July 22 (the exact one-year anniversary of Ozzy’s death), Iommi shared a snippet of a Black Sabbath performance (from before their 2017 retirement) to social media.

Alongside it, Iommi wrote:

Hi everyone. Well, it’s now a year since Ozzy’s passing and I still can’t believe that he’s not with us. I watch him on YouTube and it feels like he’s still here with us. We always stayed in touch almost every week or so and we’d usually talk about our ailments and then about what we’d been doing that particular week. The fans have been absolutely brilliant and the love and respect that they have shown for him has just been amazing. I’m so glad that we were able to play one final show with the original line up of Sabbath at the Back To The Beginning show in our home town of Birmingham! There will never be another Ozzy. I miss you my dear friend. Tony

Likewise, the rest of Black Sabbath paid tribute to the Prince of Darkness on the same day.

Specifically, Geezer Butler uploaded a photo of Ozzy from Back to the Beginning while proclaiming: “One year ago today- hard to believe. I am so glad we were able to do the final show , back in our hometown just a couple of weeks before Ozzy left us. Gone in body but his legend lives on. Such incredible memories. Ozzy forever!”

As for Bill Ward, he shared:

Every day there is a persistent silence,
We miss you so much,
Respectfully with love to the Osbourne family,
Bill and Jackie Ward Family

Last week Loudwire also reported that Universal Studios’ Hollywood Horror Nights will be getting an Ozzy-inspired haunted house this year at both their Hollywood and Orlando theme parks!

We expounded:

Universal’s website describes of the haunted house honoring the late metal legend: “Ozzy Osbourne’s shocking image was as haunting as his heavy metal hits. Now you’ll enter the Prince of Darkness’s kingdom where music and mayhem collide — and everything’s gone off the rails. Veer through a decaying world ripped straight from Ozzy’s lyrics in this haunted house inspired by one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest legends. Let the madness begin!”

In particular Loudwire explained that attractions “are said to include music from six of Ozzy’s solo records” (including 1980’s Blizzard of Oz and 1991’s No More Tears). Plus, the Osbourne family “contributed to the haunted houses in both locations with each providing a unique experience while paying tribute to Ozzy.”

You can read more about the attraction here and see a trailer for it below:

Going back to From the Dark, it’ll be Iommi’s first solo album since 2005’s Fused, and it’ll be released on Oct. 23 via BMG.

Iommi teamed up with vocalist Jørn Lande for the project as well as bassist Becky Baldwin (Mercyful Fate) and drummer Karl Brazil (James Blunt Robbie Williams). It’ll be co-produced by Iommi and frequently collaborator Mike Exeter too.

“It’s an album we’ve really enjoyed making. We’re not trying to prove anything. It’s a great album; it rocks!” Iommi said of the record.

You can preorder the album here and see the official music video for lead single “World Alone” below: