Zakk Wylde has shared his final moments with Ozzy Osbourne.
The Black Sabbath rocker died on July 22, just weeks after performing for the last time at his Back To The Beginning show in Birmingham, UK, and Zakk – who took to the stage at the concert with Pantera and as part of Ozzy’s solo set – revealed how shocked he was by Ozzy’s death.
He told Guitar World: “Everybody and their mother were in the backstage dressing room and I just wanted to give him a break. I figured we’d see him later on – the next day or whatever. But no. The last text I got from Oz was saying, ‘Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn’t see you.’ He goes, ‘Thanks for everything.’ It was just us talking, saying, ‘I love you, buddy.’ That was it.
“It was definitely pretty amazing. Seeing Oz onstage when Sabbath got done, that’s the last time I saw him. I’m blessed and grateful, man. Anything other than that would be selfish.
“And on top of it, to go out with what’s the biggest-grossing charity event of all? That’s unbelievable. He helped a whole lot of people instead of making a profit. My God, what an incredible master. What an incredible life.”
Zakk paid tribute to Ozzy, 76, who he said was “like an older brother” to him.
He explained: “Oz was just the best. I have my father, who was a World War II veteran; and then Ozzy, who was almost like an older brother. There was almost a 20-year age gap between us. With our relationship, there was the fun drinking – but if I ever needed advice, I could talk to him.”
Meanwhile, Zakk’s band Pantera recently cancelled their upcoming gigs to give themselves time to grieve their hero Ozzy.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Pantera explained: “Ozzy wasn’t just a legend who shaped the very foundation of heavy metal and inspired Pantera from the beginning – he was family.
“A mentor, a brother, and a constant presence in our lives both on and off the stage. The bond we shared with him ran far deeper than music.
“In light of this profound loss, we need time and space to grieve – to be with our families, our crew, and each other as we process the life of someone who meant so much to us.
“Out of respect, and to allow members of our team the time to mourn, we will be [rescheduling and cancelling a number of shows].”