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Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne announced on Friday (August 12) that this year's OzzFest would be his last as a headliner, either with Sabbath or as a solo performer. Osbourne issued a statement that read, "After 10 years, the OzzFest's name and reputation have been established. It's time for me to move on and do other things." The statement added that OzzFest would return in 2006, but that Osbourne would limit his performances to only a few selected cities.
Black Sabbath has been forced to miss several OzzFest performances on this run due to Osbourne's ongoing health problems. In the latest incident, Osbourne blew out his voice and stormed offstage during a performance in Auburn, Washington on Thursday (August 11), according to the News Tribune. A critic reviewing the show reported that Sabbath was into its fourth song of the evening when Osbourne's voice "cracked hideously." Osbourne walked off, leaving his bandmates to jam until he finally returned several minutes later.
OzzFest is scheduled to play Monday (August 15) in Marysville, California, and Thursday (August 18) in Phoenix, Arizona. Osbourne has been ordered by doctors not to perform on consecutive days.
OzzFest was co-founded in 1996 by Osbourne and his wife and manager, Sharon, as a one-time, two-day event. It became a full-fledged traveling festival in 1997. Osbourne has headlined it every year, either by himself or with Black Sabbath.
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