×

Tool reassure fans they’re still playing final Black Sabbath show after rumours Sharon Osbourne removed them from line-up

By Tom Skinner Jun 11, 2025 | 6:43 AM

Tool have reassured fans that they are still playing at Black Sabbath‘s final show, following rumours that Sharon Osbourne removed them from the line-up.

Sabbath’s huge farewell concert, dubbed ‘Back To The Beginning’, takes place at Villa Park in Birmingham on July 5. It’ll see frontman Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward perform onstage together for the first time in two decades.

The stacked, star-studded bill boasts an array of heavyweights from the worlds of metal and rock. These include Tool, as well as the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Gojira, Anthrax, Smashing Pumpkins‘ Billy Corgan, Guns N’ Roses, KoRn, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and the surviving members of Soundgarden.

However, Ozzy’s wife and manager Sharon recently revealed that she had kicked an act off the line-up. She also claimed that their manager had since been “going around making up bullshit lies”.

Fans on Reddit subsequently speculated that Tool might have been booted off due to their name being removed on the official ‘Back To The Beginning’ website. However, it has since been confirmed that the group will be appearing, and their name has been re-added. (via Loudwire).

At the time of writing, it is unclear as to who has been axed from the historic event.

Yesterday (June 10), Tool took to social media to reiterate that they would still be performing on the day.

“We are excited to be a part of this legendary show. For those of you who can’t make it, there will be a livestream available,” they wrote, referring to the global, pay-per-view broadcast – which was announced last week.

We are excited to be a part of this legendary show. For those of you who can’t make it, there will be a livestream available.

Posted by Tool on Tuesday, June 10, 2025

In the comments section on Facebook, some fans aired their confusion and relief over the situation. One said: “Oh!? I thought Tool was removed from the line-up.” Another wrote: “Yassss I will absolutely be getting a ticket for the livestream!”

Someone else posted: “I thought I heard y’all dropped out of this.” A user added: “TOOL will be part of the livestream, ignore the rumours.” In another comment, a follower said: “You guys certainly deserve that honour. Nothing but respect for the best!”

Some fans claimed that Tool may have been removed after remarks Maynard James Keenan made about Ozzy’s health. Earlier this year, the frontman said it may take “modern miracles” to get the Prince Of Darkness back on stage for Black Sabbath’s last outing, following numerous health problems in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease.

“This is gonna be a challenge for [Black Sabbath],” Keenan explained at the time. “So, I’m honoured to be a part of it, but I’m kinda preparing for the worst – but hoping for the best, as they say.”

Ozzy Osbourne press photo
Ozzy Osbourne. CREDIT: Press

When commenting on the reasons behind axing an artist from the line-up, Sharon said: “I had a huge, huge to-do with a manager over this celebration for Ozzy and Sabbath. And it was probably the worst way I’ve felt in years.

“I don’t care what this person says about me, thinks about it, because he doesn’t know me. And he’s now going around making up bullshit lies because I threw his band off the bill.”

She went on to claim that she didn’t “care what people say”, continuing: “Because do you know what? I don’t love them. I care about people who love me, what they say about me. You can’t care what an industry says, because you don’t love them, so how can it hurt you? It doesn’t.”

Elsewhere, Sharon has revealed the two acts she “would have loved” to see play at Villa Park next month, while describing the upcoming show as “a celebration of the music”.

Ozzy, meanwhile, has told fans he is “giving 120 per cent” as he prepares for his final performances at the gig. “If my God wants me to do the show, I’ll do it,” he said, having previously looked ahead to playing the concert in good health.

“I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can,” he promised. “So all I can do is turn up.” He suggested that he “may be sitting down” on stage, following reports that he’d be performing from a “throne that flies over the stadium”.

“We’re only playing a couple of songs each. I don’t want people thinking ‘We’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be … what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath,” he explained.

Ozzy said he was done with the “rock star lifestyle” too. He had previously told fans that he was “in heavy training” for the big farewell concert, and was back in the gym. He also said he would only be “doing little bits and pieces” with Sabbath: “I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable.”

Earlier this year, he said he now “can’t walk” as a result of Parkinson’s – but Sharon told NME that his illness “doesn’t affect his voice”. “He wants to say thank you to everybody,” she explained at Villa Park. “He didn’t have that chance because of his illness, but now he does have the chance.”

Sharon said her husband was doing “really great” at the time. She told NME that Ozzy was feeling “very emotional” about the final Sabbath set, and that it was “what he wants”.

Iommi then said that the event would “do [Ozzy] good”, telling us: “That’s what it’s all about: he wants to get out and do something.”

Meanwhile, Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has admitted that he is having “nightmares” and “palpitations” in the run-up to ‘Back To The Beginning’ – which will see Tom Morello serve as musical director.

The post Tool reassure fans they’re still playing final Black Sabbath show after rumours Sharon Osbourne removed them from line-up appeared first on NME.