Geezer Butler Reflects on His Last Show and 57-Year Bond with Ozzy Osbourne

Terence ‘Geezer’ Butler, bassist for Black Sabbath, has shared a heartfelt tribute to his late bandmate, Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away at age 76 on July 22, 2025. In an emotional essay, Butler recounted their deep friendship and the final concert they played together in July 2025 at Villa Park. He described how, despite knowing Ozzy was in poor health, he was unprepared to witness the rock legend’s frailty. Butler recalls the rehearsal sessions, where Ozzy, supported by helpers, sang while seated due to exhaustion. The show, which would turn out to be Black Sabbath’s final performance, had a bittersweet ending, with Ozzy remaining seated on a throne while the bandmates exchanged a symbolic farewell. Butler also shared stories of their friendship, going back to their early days in Birmingham, and the band’s formation in 1968. Despite Ozzy’s wild public persona, Butler described him as a deeply caring individual, always present for his friends in times of need. Butler’s tribute ends with deep gratitude for the years spent together and the opportunity to perform one last time with Ozzy, whom he considered not the ‘Prince of Darkness,’ but the ‘Prince of Laughter.’