“It was something Ozzy was very passionate about. We really started metal festivals in this country”: Sharon Osbourne wants to bring back Ozzfest and has plans for a Black Sabbath orchestral tour
But there's a twist: “I’d like to mix up the genres”
Sharon Osbourne has revealed her plan to relaunch Ozzfest, the long-running travelling heavy metal festival led by her late husband Ozzy.
In a new interview with Billboard, Osbourne explains: “I’ve been talking to Live Nation about bringing [Ozzfest] back recently. It was something Ozzy was very passionate about: giving young talent a stage in front of a lot of people.
“We really started metal festivals in this country. It was [replicated but] never done with the spirit of what ours was, because ours was a place for new talent. It was like summer camp for kids.”
In its heyday, Ozzfest bills featured heavyweight acts including Slipknot, Pantera, Marilyn Manson, Tool, Incubus, Linking Park, Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, Megadeth, Motörhead and many more.
Ozzy headlined with his solo band and with the reunited Black Sabbath.
“All of the creative direction for visuals at Ozzfest was mine,” Sharon Osbourne tells Billboard. “I can’t sing a note — I’m tone-deaf — but I can be creative, and I like to create things.”
She also says that the new Ozzfest could be up and running in 20227 and would go beyond metal: “I’d like to mix up the genres,” she explains.
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In addition, Osbourne reveals she is also working with Live Nation on a tour in which Black Sabbath’s music will be performed by classic orchestras.

Paul Elliott has worked for leading music titles since 1985, including Sounds, Kerrang!, MOJO and Q. He is the author of several books including the first biography of Guns N’ Roses and the autobiography of bodyguard-to-the-stars Danny Francis. He has written liner notes for classic album reissues by artists such as Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and Kiss. He lives in Bath - of which David Coverdale recently said: “How very Roman of you!”
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