Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist admits star had vocal issues at final show

Ozzy Osbourne's friend and long-time guitar player Zakk Wylde has revealed the iconic rocker was having some vocal issues during his last performance at the Back To the Beginning concert on July 5 in Villa Park, Brimingham. Zakk, 58, joined Ozzy, who died on July 22 at the age of 76, on stage as he sang his hits, including Mama, I'm Coming Home, and Crazy Train, and confessed he had to help him out in parts of the songs.

"When we got the acoustic out, I had to be like, 'Keep the guitar away from the microphone so I can sing,' because Oz's voice was having trouble at certain notes," he said. "I was like, 'I need to make sure I'm always there so I can double him.'... I was like, 'I gotta get near the microphone,' so I had to almost stop playing, lift the guitar up and put it over the mic," he explained.

Describing the experience to Guitar World magazine, he continued: "It was like juggling balls or chainsaws while being on a skateboard! "It was actually pretty funny - but it was business as usual. It's supposed to be the most important show ever, but everything's on the fly!"

Ozzy was spotted using a throat spray at several points during his performance at the concert. He played a selection of his solo hits before rejoining his original Black Sabbath bandmates for one last time.

Zakk first worked with Ozzy in 1987, when he replaced Jake E. Lee. He played on the albums No Rest for the Wicked and No More Tears before parting ways with the star in 1995.

However, he rejoined Ozzy's band again from 2001 to 2009 and finally from 2017 until his most recent show.

In the same interview, he also admitted he never got a chance to say a proper goodbye to his longtime friend and collaborator.

Revealing that the backstage area was jam-packed, he resolved to give Ozzy a break because he assumed he would see him later on.

Sadly, that was not to be the case. He revealed that Ozzy did text him after the madness had died down, apologising for not getting a chance to speak with him and thanking him for everything.

Zakk was among the invited guests at Ozzy's private burial on Thursday, July 31, and was spotted entering the Osbourne's Buckinghamshire mansion carrying two 12-string guitars.