SHARON OSBOURNE Says When She'll Reveal Which Band Was Cut From BLACK SABBATH's Final Show: 'People Will Be Shocked'

As Black Sabbath prepares to take the stage for the last time at Villa Park, the band’s farewell concert is already generating headlines. This time, it’s not the music or the massive lineup drawing attention. Instead, it’s something behind the scenes: a last-minute decision by Sharon Osbourne to cut a well-known band from the bill.

The concert, called Back to the Beginning, is being promoted as Black Sabbath’s final performance. The show will reunite original members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward.

It’s the first time in two decades that the original quartet will play together on stage. The event also includes performances from Metallica, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Ghost, and several others.

But according to Sharon Osbourne, who manages both Ozzy and Black Sabbath, not every act invited to join the celebration made it to show day.

In a recent interview with Billboard, Sharon said she removed one band from the lineup after their team demanded payment for the performance.

That demand went against the spirit of the event, which donates all proceeds to charity.

“This wasn’t the time to make money,” she said. “After the show, I’ll let everybody know who it was. I think people will be shocked.”

Money clash behind the scenes

Sharon previously spoke to Metal Hammer about the decision, saying that the dispute with the band’s manager turned ugly.

“I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager over this celebration for Ozzy and Sabbath,” she said. “It was probably the worst way I’ve felt in years. And he’s now going around making up bullshit lies because I threw his band off the bill.”

She hasn’t named the band, but clarified in the Billboard interview that it wasn’t Iron Maiden. That clarification matters, since Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osbourne had a well-known falling-out during Ozzfest in 2005. Many fans assumed this could be a new chapter in that old rivalry.

Turns out, it’s unrelated.

Online rumors and confirmed names

After Sharon’s comments, fan speculation spread quickly across Reddit and Instagram. Tool was one of the first names mentioned. That’s because the band’s name was left off some early livestream promotions. But Tool is still set to perform, led by Maynard James Keenan, according to updated materials.

Another popular theory involved Megadeth. Some thought the Dave Mustaine-led band was the one kicked off the show. That rumor was shut down by Kelly Osbourne. She responded to a post on Instagram saying simply, “Nope! Not him!”

Only one act has been officially removed from the lineup: Wolfgang Van Halen. But his absence has nothing to do with a dispute. He had a scheduling conflict, according to the Osbournes.

That leads many to believe the mystery band was pulled before the final lineup was made public.

A charity-driven farewell

Back to the Beginning is expected to be a historic day for heavy metal fans. The show brings together some of the genre’s biggest names and closes the book on a band that helped define the sound of metal.

All proceeds from the concert will go to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorns Children’s Hospice. Mercury Studios is handling the livestream, working with tech partner Kiswe. Actor Jason Momoa is hosting the event.

The ticket demand has been intense. Over 150,000 people entered the online queue when tickets went on sale in February. They sold out in under 16 minutes.

The venue, Villa Park, sits in the heart of Black Sabbath’s hometown. The symbolism isn’t lost on fans or the band. It’s where it all started.

A long goodbye, this time for real

This isn’t the first time Black Sabbath has said goodbye. Their 2017 tour was called The End. Ozzy himself had a No More Tours retirement tour as far back as 1992. But health challenges have made this latest farewell feel more final.

Ozzy has Parkinson’s disease and other chronic conditions. He’s only made a few public appearances since 2018. His wife and manager, Sharon, has made it clear that this is the actual finish line.

“We’re done,” she told Billboard. “I’ve been doing this since I was 15, and I’m done. We just want to live our life and do what we want to do and not have to follow an itinerary anymore.”

Legacy on display

The lineup at Back to the Beginning reads like a who’s who of modern rock and metal. Alongside the main headliners, the day features appearances by Ghost’s Tobias Forge, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, Zakk Wylde, and many more. A special “supergroup” made up of musicians from different acts will also perform.

Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine is serving as musical director. He says the day is meant to honor Sabbath’s role in shaping music history.

“The goal from day one was very, very simple,” he told Billboard. “To make it the greatest day, the most important day in the history of heavy metal music.”

Morello added that the event will include never-before-seen footage and other surprises. He says getting artists to join the bill was easy once they understood what it meant.

“You call up folks and say, ‘Would you like to play at the last Black Sabbath show ever?’ People pick up the phone.”

Final curtain, final word?

The mystery of the removed band has added one last subplot to an already emotional goodbye.

For now, fans are focused on what’s happening on the stage. The music, the memories, and the legacy all come together for one final show in the city where it began.

And according to Sharon, once the amps go quiet, someone might still hear their name echoing in the headlines.

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