Promoting the Back to the Beginning concert as Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance, nobody could have guessed the legendary singer would pass away only a few weeks later. Getting the chance to perform with Black Sabbath and thank fans for their ongoing support, Ozzy sadly passed away on July 22nd at 76 years old. As many fans and fellow singers celebrated his legacy, Tom Morello looked back on the charity concert and how he approached the concert as its curator.
Appearing on Whiplash with Full Metal Jackie, Tom Morello discussed his role at the Back to the Beginning concert. Considering the curator role as one of the toughest challenges, he said, “When I was tapped by Ozzy and [his wife and manager] Sharon to be the musical director, I took it really, really seriously and used all of my love of the genre.”
Videos by American Songwriter
With the concert featuring stars like Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Billy Corgan, Steven Tyler, and several others, Morello had only one goal in mind. “The goal was very, very simple from the beginning, is to make it the greatest and most important day in the history of heavy metal, and all reports are that we did pretty well.”
[RELATED: Ozzy Osbourne Had Surprising Takes on Heavy Metal, From The Beatles to Black Sabbath]
Tom Morello Promised “I’ve Never Stopped Being A Fan”
While playing a crucial role in the production, Morello found the entire experience “mind-blowing”, especially when he found himself in the company of Ozzy and Black Sabbath. “I’ve never stopped being a fan from day one, and realizing how important Tony Iommi’s riffs are, how important Ozzy Osbourne is, and Ozzy bringing [late guitarist] Randy Rhoads to the world, that was the poster that was on my wall when I was practicing eight hours a day.”
Although Morello will have to wait to see just how much the concert raised, Ozzy’s final performance appeared to be a success. According to Billboard, the Back to the Beginning concert brought in 40,000 fans to Birmingham. But that didn’t compare to the nearly six million who streamed the event.
Looking out over the crowd and the show Morello helped produce, Ozzy declared, “You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
(Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Boston Calling)