One Hell of a Ride’: Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler Reflects

???? Rehearsals & Farewell Concert

Rehearsals took place about a month before the show in Oxfordshire, primarily with Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, and drummer Bill Ward. Ozzy joined later, and the band gradually worked through rusty spots from decades apart MusicRadar+15inkl+15IMDb+15.
Butler shared that while he knew Ozzy was unwell, he was still unprepared for how frail he appeared: assisted into the studio by helpers and a nurse, and leaning on a black cane adorned with gold and precious stones—very much in true Ozzy style People.com+10inkl+10Salon.com+10.
Ozzy sang seated, and the rehearsals showed that just six or seven songs was exhausting for him. He spoke little and was subdued compared to his former energetic self Sportskeeda+6inkl+6Page Six+6.

???? Onstage: The Farewell Performance – July 5, 2025

The farewell concert, "Back to the Beginning", took place on July 5, 2025 at Villa Park in Birmingham, where fans and fellow artists gathered in tribute to Sabbath and Ozzy's legacy The Guardian+15People.com+15Reddit+15.
During his set, Ozzy remained seated on a black throne and performed several songs for the crowd of 42,000. Afterwards, he did a few Black Sabbath tracks with his bandmates in a subdued ceremony The Standard.
The final moment on stage was emotionally complex: customary group hugs and bows couldn’t happen because Ozzy remained on his throne. Tony Iommi shook his hand, while Butler presented him with a cake — a "strange feeling" as they closed their collective story LatestLY+5Wisdom 92.1+5HELLO!+5.

???? Butler’s Reflections & Legacy of Friendship

Butler published a deeply moving tribute in The Sunday Times (circa July 27–28, 2025), reflecting on 57 years of friendship with Ozzy—from their start in Birmingham in 1968 to that solemn final night on July 5. He described Ozzy as the “Prince of Laughter” who, despite health challenges, never lost his generosity and sense of humor The Sun+9People.com+9Wisdom 92.1+9.
He expressed regret for not spending more time backstage before what turned out to be their last moment together. Echoing Ozzy’s own wry sense of humor, he quoted one of his classic phrases:

“Wish in one hand and s‑t in the other and see which comes first.”
He concluded:
“God bless, Oz, it has been one hell of a ride! Love you!” HELLO!+4Wisdom 92.1+4Page Six+4.

???? Summary

Angle Details Frail Health in Rehearsals Butler was struck by Ozzy’s physical decline—assisted, seated, and exhausted after only several songs. Concert Moment Ozzy performed seated on a throne; traditional farewell gestures couldn’t happen as expected. Emotional Aftermath Butler shared deep gratitude for one final performance amid heartbreak and loss. Legacy Their bond spanned from teenage beginnings to one final tribute show before Ozzy passed away on July 22, 2025, just 17 days after the concert The News International+3Consequence+3IMDb+3LatestLY+5The Standard+5Page Six+5The Standard+7Vanity Fair+7Page Six+7.

???? Aftermath & Ozzy’s Passing

Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22, 2025, at age 76, surrounded by family. His death came just weeks after that final Black Sabbath reunion—making the July 5 show his last public appearance and a powerful capstone to his career Wisdom 92.1+13Vanity Fair+13Page Six+13.

Geezer Butler’s reflections not only paint a portrait of Ozzy at his most vulnerable, but also celebrate decades of friendship, music, and shared history. If you'd like, I’d be happy to pull in more quotes from Butler’s tribute or details about the concert itself.