Black Sabbath went out with a bang, but what could have been? The July 5 show, dubbed Back to the Beginning, concluded with Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward reuniting for one final time, playing four of their now-classic songs.
But, according to Iommi, the band had practiced more than just the four they played (“War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “N.I.B.,” and “Paranoid”). Speaking on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, the legendary guitarist said that the group rehearsed “six or seven” songs in the lead-up to the show.
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“We worked out what we were gonna play, what songs we were gonna play,” said Iommi, as transcribed by Blabbermouth.net. “And it was really a case of how long Ozzy could do it, because we didn’t know – with him doing his own set, which I said to him I didn’t think he should do – because I didn’t want him to get burnt out by the time he’d come with us.”
According to Iommi, Black Sabbath rehearsed “Fairies Wear Boots,” the closing track to 1970’s Paranoid, and the title track from their debut album: “Black Sabbath.”
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“It was a little difficult for Bill ’cause he hadn’t played them for so long,” remarked Iommi. “Geezer and I, of course, we played them on the last tour. And, of course, Bill hasn’t toured, don’t forget, for a long time. So we could have done six, but we ended up doing four.”
Iommi isn’t that upset about it. “We’re in our seventies,” he said, “so you can only do so much.” He was gracious that the audience “accepted that” and weren’t expecting the four of them to “go on and be absolutely just brilliant players.
Back to the Beginning was also Ozzy’s farewell gig as a solo artist. Black Sabbath famously fired him in 1979, prompting him to launch a successful solo career.
During the July 5 show, Ozzy performed “I Don’t Know,” “Mr. Crowley,” “Suicide Solution,” “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and “Crazy Train.” According to SetlistFM, “No More Tears” was listed as a possible encore but not performed.
Related: Fans Say Black Sabbath’s Final Show Ended ‘Coldly,’ But What Really Happened?
