Slash Reveals Ozzy Osbourne Collaboration Was in the Works Before His Passing

It might come as a shock to some, but Axl Rose never got the chance to meet Ozzy Osbourne. Although two big names in the music industry, their paths never crossed. That was until Slash. Hoping to get Rose and Ozzy in the same room, the opportunity finally presented itself at the famed Back to the Beginning concert. Marking Ozzy’s last performance before his death, Slash not only made a dream for Rose come true, but apparently, the musician was in talks to collaborate with Ozzy. 

Speaking with Rolling Stone Australia, Slash looked back on that final concert. Although the concert centered on reuniting the original lineup of Black Sabbath, the show was a celebration of Ozzy’s career, life, and personality. “It was an amazing day. There was just such a massive feeling of warmth and cameraderie with all the different musicians.”

With every band, artist, and musician there for one purpose, Slash made sure to introduce Rose to the Prince of Darkness. “Everybody wanted to go back and pay homage to Ozzy. So I went back there, and I got Axl back there to meet Ozzy for the first time, because they’d never met each other.” He continued, “Axl, obviously, was always a fan of Ozzy. But what Axl didn’t know was that Ozzy was a huge fan of his! And so it was nice to see them actually meet.”

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The Slash/Ozzy Osbourne Collaboration That Never Happened

Aside from the unforgettable tribute concert, Slash had been discussing the possibility of a collaboration. “Ozzy and I had been buddies for a long time and I’d recorded with him a bunch of times. So we talked on the phone about getting together and he says, ‘Yeah, we should get together soon.’ I guess it was about a week after the gig. I thought, ‘Okay, at some point we’ll converge in a studio somewhere,’ and that was it.”

Slash was more than an expert when it came to the music industry. Understanding a collaboration between himself and Ozzy would take time, the musician let it happen naturally. “I was off on the road with Guns; we went off and finished what we were doing. And then all of a sudden I got that f****** call.” 

Learning that Ozzy had passed away, Slash was left mourning not only a legendary musician but also a close friend. While their planned collaboration never came to life, he remained grateful they were able to share one final moment.

But even now, Slash labeled the loss “unbelievable.”   

(Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)