GEEZER BUTLER 'Wouldn't Be Surprised' If OZZY OSBOURNE Performed In A Wheelchair

In a new interview with Robert Cavuoto of Sonic Perspectives, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler was asked about the report that Ozzy Osbourne may perform in a chair when he returns to the live stage later this year. The report came in March, a month after Osbourne released a statement in which he said that he would have to cancel his tour because of a spinal injury he suffered four years ago and other health problems.

Geezer, who is promoting his autobiography "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond", said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wouldn't be surprised. It's up to him. I've got nothing to do with his solo career. Whatever Ozzy wants to do, it's up to him… It's sad that he has to do that, if he does it. But Ozzy wants to get out there and play to his fans one more time. So good luck to him."

Asked he still stays in touch with Ozzy and other fellow original SABBATH members Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, Geezer said: "I stay in touch with Tony. Bill's not on the Internet. And I haven't spoken to Ozzy since the last SABBATH gig [in 2017]."

In March, it was announced that Ozzy will join GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN and TOOL as one the headliners of the Goldenvoice-produced Power Trip festival, which will take place Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8 at the Empire Polo Club In Indio, California.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman said he would return if his condition improved.

In an interview with The Sun, Sharon Osbourne spoke about some of Ozzy's health issues, including catching COVID-19 more a year ago, which forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

"Ozzy's Achilles' heel has always been his lungs, so to get something like Covid that affects your breathing and all of that, it was just torturous," she said.

"It has been very difficult. Ozzy has been plagued medically by different things that have been wrong. It is like one thing leads to another then another. For some reason he is tested all the time. I think, 'No more, please God. He has passed all the tests, he has survived — please leave him alone'."

Sharon added: "This is the longest time Ozzy has ever been at home. He is driving me crazy, every fucking day.

"Ozzy said to me during Covid, 'Do you think we are spending too much time together?' I'm like, 'Yeah, but where the fuck do I go? I can't go to a hotel, what do you want me to do? Where do you want me to go?'. And he said, 'I didn't think of that'."

Sharon said that getting Ozzy into a good enough physical shape to play live shows is now a priority.

"The biggest love affair of Ozzy's life is his audience and performing," she explained. "He misses the live audience, he misses his fans terribly. He feels he's let them down. Performing is what he is born to do. Ozzy says to me that he can't do anything as good as performing. I get heart-broken when I hear him say that and knowing he cannot go out and do what he is meant to do. But he will get there."

In March, Ozzy was photographed walking without his cane in Los Angeles. According to Page Six, the 74-year-old singer looked unbalanced as he walked alongside his carer, who picked up flowers during their daytime stroll around the neighborhood and held them out for Osbourne to take a whiff.

The news of Osbourne's participation in Power Trip came nearly two months after he released a statement in which he said that he would have to cancel his tour because of a spinal injury he suffered four years ago and other health problems.

Ozzy most recently gave an update on his touring status in February during an episode of SiriusXM's "Ozzy Speaks". He said: "Well, I've been working my guts out to try and get back on my feet. I've come to the point where Sharon says to me, 'You know what? The truth of the matter is you can't keep booking tours and failing, canceling. So, if I can ever get back to where I can tour again, fine. But right now, if you said to me, 'Can you go on the road in a month?' I couldn't say yes. I mean, if I could tour, I'd tour. But right now I can't book tours because right now I don't think I could pull them off."

Osbourne also commented on the fact that some of the media outlets reported that he was retiring from the road after he released his statement canceling his tour.

"The fucking press drive you nuts," Ozzy said. "I mean, I looked in the magazine, 'Ozzy's on his last legs.' I'm fucking not dying… Come on, guys. Haven't I've had it bad enough already? If I get okay today, if the doctor said to me today, 'Oh, you can tour, it would take another six months to get it together, you know?"

Osbourne also touched upon his ongoing health issues, saying: "You've got no idea. You got no idea what my… I feel like a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. The only thing I've got that keeps me going is making records. But I can't do that forever. I gotta get out there… [I'm] still in constant pain. I do to the best I can to stay away from the pain medication, but there are times when I go, 'You know, I've gotta take something.' I mean, last week I couldn't… I've been sleeping great, and all of a sudden for two back-to-back nights. I never slept a wink. If you're gonna torture me, just keep me awake for a couple of days. I'll tell you whatever the fuck you want me to say."

Osbourne was due to embark on a tour of Europe later this year, but in the aforementioned statement said that he has "come to the realization that I'm not physically capable … as I know I couldn't deal with the travel required.

"This is probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to share with my loyal fans," the musician continued in his statement. "As you may all know, four years ago this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine. My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) treatment, my body is still physically weak.

"Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really FUCKS ME UP, more than you will ever know," he wrote. "Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way."

In the statement, Osbourne added that he was looking into "ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country", and thanked his fans for "their endless dedication, loyalty and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have".

Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February. The trek was scheduled to begin in Helsinki, Finland, on May 3, and include gigs in Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and London, before finishing in his original hometown of Birmingham on June 14.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" is being released on June 6 in North America via HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books. The book will arrive in the United Kingdom on June 8.

A founding member of BLACK SABBATH, Butler is also the lyricist of such SABBATH classics as "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Paranoid" and others.