Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne plans final Israel gig

Bats beware! Former Black Sabbath frontman to hit Rishon Lezion in July

By Jessica Steinberg 19 November 2017, 1:49 pm 2 Edit

Jessica Steinberg covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center.

The godfather of heavy metal, Ozzy Osbourne, is coming to Israel this July for what he says is his farewell tour, along with members of Black Sabbath, the English band he once fronted and founded 49 years ago.

Ozzy Osbourne, the father of heavy metal, in a pensive moment (Courtesy Ozzy Osbourne)

The 69-year-old Osbourne will perform on Thursday, July 8, at Rishon Lezion’s Live Park. The last time he was in Israel was in 2010, as part of Ozzfest, the heavy metal festival he founded.

“Everyone always asks me when I will retire,” said Osbourne. “This will be my last world tour for sure, but maybe I’ll do another performance here or there.”

Osbourne and Black Sabbath helped define the heavy metal genre with classic songs like “Black Sabbath,” “Paranoid” and “Master of Reality.”

He went from famous to legendary in 1982 when he accidentally bit the head off a live bat during a show in Iowa.

Osbourne eventually found a career as a reality star in “The Osbournes,” which introduced him to another generation of heavy metal fans, this time after recovery from his years of drug and alcohol abuse.

Tickets for Osbourne will be sold starting Sunday, November 19, 5 p.m. Prices are NIS 299 and NIS 666.

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