In a new conversation with The News, Ozzy Osbourne explained why he won’t take the stage again.
“I went to the doctor’s, and you assume everybody knows what they’re doing. My son Jack has a video of me going into surgery, saying, ‘I’ll see you in a few minutes.’ I haven’t walked properly since,” the singer said, referring to his spinal surgery following a 2019 fall.
Ozzy explained that his disability is often thought to be due to Parkinson’s, but he actually blames it on the surgery. The rocker added, “I mean, when I came off the quad bike in 2003, I still did tours and I had Parkinson’s back then. It was THAT f*cking surgery.”
Osbourne has dealt with many health problems, including seven surgeries in five years and a long fight with Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2003.
Last month, Ozzy was seen in a wheelchair with his wife Sharon walking behind him in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. He looked weak and was assisted by two friends, with a blanket over his knees to keep warm.
Although he wore a face mask, a plain black T-shirt, and sweatpants, Ozzy was still recognizable with his tattooed arms, gold jewelry, and long black hair. This footage came out nearly a year after he said he wouldn’t perform in a wheelchair. He told Rolling Stone that he won’t go on stage while feeling weak.
“I’m not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy,” he explained. “What’s the point in that? I’m not going up there in a wheelchair. I’ve seen Phil Collins perform recently, and he’s got virtually the same problems as me. He gets up there in a wheelchair! But I couldn’t do that.”
Ozzy and his family—Sharon, Jack, and Kelly—made a rare appearance for an autograph signing and photo opportunities on October 12-13 at the Son of Monsterpalooza horror film convention. The event was held at the Marriott Burbank Convention Center in Burbank, California.