DUFF MCKAGAN Calls OZZY OSBOURNE 'A Constant In Rock And Roll'

Summary

• Duff McKagan calls Ozzy Osbourne a lifelong influence, dating back to his childhood exposure to Black Sabbath’s Iron Man.
• The upcoming Back To The Beginning concert on July 5 will feature Black Sabbath’s original lineup and mark Ozzy’s final solo appearance.
• Ozzy’s ongoing health battles (including Parkin 2 and multiple surgeries) forced him to cancel tours, though he still made select appearances.

Duff McKagan has seen plenty of rock stars come and go, but when it comes to Ozzy Osbourne, he doesn’t mince words. “A constant in rock and roll,” as he puts it. Not exactly a small compliment, especially from a guy who’s spent decades circling the biggest stages with Guns N’ Roses.

The conversation popped up during a recent YouTube Q&A where Duff fielded fan questions. One of them landed on his upcoming role in Back To The Beginning, the charity event scheduled for July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham. The night will mark the last time Black Sabbath’s original lineup plays together, while also closing the curtain on Ozzy’s solo career.

Duff traced his connection to Ozzy back to when he was barely tall enough to reach the family stereo. With older siblings in charge of the dial, he caught Black Sabbath’s Iron Man blasting from FM radio, calling it cartoonish and strangely accessible for a kid. That riff stuck. When he picked up a guitar years later, Iron Man was one of the first songs he managed to crack.

His respect for Ozzy didn’t stop at childhood nostalgia. While others brushed past albums like Never Say Die! from 1978, Duff still defends it as one of the underappreciated records in the Sabbath catalog. He also pointed to Ozzy’s solo years as the phase that really carved out his legendary status. According to Duff, names like Iggy Pop, Lemmy, Prince, and Ozzy sit on a very short list of rock’s untouchables.

That respect eventually turned into collaboration. About five years ago, Duff joined forces with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and producer Andrew Watt to help write and record Ozzy’s album Ordinary Man. The clock was ticking, with only four days to pull it off. Despite the pressure, Duff called the sessions inspired and praised the chemistry in the room. Ozzy arrived, jumped right into writing lyrics, and knocked out his vocals with ease. Tracks like Straight To Hell, Under The Graveyard, and the title track (a duet with Elton John) came out of those frantic sessions.

With the upcoming Back To The Beginning concert approaching, tickets evaporated in just 16 minutes. Organizers decided to livestream the event globally, starting at 3:00 p.m. on July 5, with a 48-hour replay window. The production is in the hands of Mercury Studios, with streaming handled by Kiswe, who previously powered BTS’s record-breaking live streams.

The event’s lineup reads like a who’s-who of rock royalty. Alongside Duff will be Slash, Billy Corgan, Fred Durst, K.K. Downing, Jake E. Lee, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Tom Morello. Hosting duties fall to Jason Momoa, because why not throw a Hollywood face into the mix? Sharon Osbourne summed it up bluntly: “They’re all icons.”

The original Black Sabbath lineup hasn’t played together since 2005. While they’ve done partial reunions, this show will be the first complete gathering in nearly two decades.

And yes, Ozzy’s declining health adds extra weight to the farewell. Diagnosed with Parkin 2 (a rare genetic version of Parkinson’s) back in 2003, he publicly revealed the condition in 2020. Toss in spinal surgery from his 2003 quad-bike accident, multiple falls, and a COVID-19 bout, and it’s remarkable he’s still game for one last appearance. His planned European tour with Judas Priest was scrapped for good in 2023 after multiple postponements. Still, Ozzy made a few brief comebacks, including performances at the Commonwealth Games and an NFL halftime show in 2022.

In an industry full of short-lived hype machines, Duff’s assessment holds up. Ozzy Osbourne remains one of the few constants left in rock and roll.

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