Ozzy Osbourne will not be well enough to perform at the Power Trip music festival in California this October.
The Prince of Darkness announced in a statement Monday that he is pulling out of the festival because of his ongoing health issues. The show was set to be Osbourne’s first performance in nearly five years.
“As painful as this is, I’ve had to make the decision to bow out of performing on Power Trip in October,” Osbourne, 74, wrote.
“My original plan was to return to the stage in the summer of 2024, & when the offer to do this show came in, I optimistically moved forward,” he continued. “Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I’m just not ready yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed.”
It is not yet clear who will fill Osbourne’s slot at the Power Trip festival, but Osbourne said the members of the soon-to-be-named band are “personal friends” of his.
“Above all, I want to thank my fans, my band, and my crew for their unconditional loyalty and continual support. I love you all and I will see you soon,” he concluded.
A number of popular rock and metal bands including Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and Metallica are already set to perform at the Power Trip festival.
The former Black Sabbath vocalist has been ailing for several years now; he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020. Osbourne also underwent several surgeries for a years-old spinal injury that has limited his mobility.
In February, Osbourne cancelled his European tour over claims he “is not physically capable” of the travel necessary for a busy international concert schedule. The No More Tours II was set to begin in Helsinki, Finland in May.
Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, moved back to England from the U.S. last year after Osbourne voiced complaints about gun violence and high taxes. The Osbourne family, who lived in the U.S. for more than two decades, filmed their highly popular reality TV series The Osbournes in their Los Angeles home in the early 2000s.
In September 2022, Osbourne released his 13th solo album, Patient Number 9. The album is nominated for a 2023 Grammy for Best Rock Album. The lead single, also called Patient Number 9, features the late Jeff Beck, who died early this year. The song is up for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance at the Grammys.
The track Degradation Rules (featuring Tony Iommi) is also nominated for a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
