Birmingham, UK — For a man known for his steely presence and heavy metal riffs, Tony Iommi’s voice trembled as he sat down for the first time since the world lost Ozzy Osbourne. The founding guitarist of Black Sabbath, Ozzy’s closest friend and creative partner for over five decades, broke down in tears as he shared the final, heart-wrenching hours he spent with the Prince of Darkness.

“We were backstage after the show. He took my hand and said, ‘If this is the last time… thank you for never leaving me,’” Iommi said, pausing to collect himself, eyes glistening with tears.

The July 5th reunion performance in Birmingham — a powerful, surprise return of the original Black Sabbath — has now become Ozzy’s final bow. Iommi recalled how frail his friend had become, but still insisted on going out there and singing like it was 1970 again.

“That hug… it was tighter than usual. He didn’t say much. But in his eyes, I could see it — like he knew this was goodbye.”

Backstage, Ozzy sat quietly, staring at the ceiling. Then he turned to Tony and asked a question that still haunts him:

“Did I ever let you down, mate?”

Tony pulled him into a hug, his voice cracking as he whispered:

“Never. You’re the reason I’m still here. You’re the voice of this whole bloody world.”

The Final Call – 2 AM, Two Days Before

Two days before Ozzy passed, Tony’s phone rang at 2 a.m.
It was Ozzy. His voice was weaker, slower — but still unmistakably him.

“Thank you for putting up with me all these years. If there’s an afterlife… I hope we’re still in the same band.”

Tony didn’t say much. He thought they had more time.
Now, through quiet sobs, he admits:

“I should’ve said more. I didn’t know that would be the last time I’d hear his voice…”

“He Wasn’t Just a Singer. He Was a Miracle.”

Reflecting on their early days in Birmingham — just a few scrappy kids chasing noise and chaos — Tony shook his head with a faint smile.

“Nobody believed in us. But Ozzy had this light in him. This mad, beautiful energy. You couldn’t bottle it. You couldn’t fake it. He was magic.”

Now, as the amps go silent and the spotlight fades, Tony sends out one final message to his fallen brother:

“If there’s another gig somewhere out there, in some other universe… I’ll be the one hitting the first chord. All you have to do is walk on stage. Like always.”

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