Tool is one of many bands booked for “Back to the Beginning,” the July 5 all-star concert event where Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath will perform one last time. For Maynard James Keenan, it’s a performance he’s very much looking forward to.
Speaking on Loudwire Nights, Keenan said he first heard about the event when he performed in honor of Ozzy when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his solo work last year. At that time, Keenan was talking with Robert Trujillo and Wolfgang Van Halen about it, and they tentatively decided to plan something for the show.
A short time later, Keenan received a call asking if Tool would perform at “Back to the Beginning.” At first, the band passed on the opportunity, but then they changed their minds.
“With Tool, nothing’s easy,” said Keenan. “Nothing is a simple decision. It always ends up being something difficult, so I didn’t think it was going to happen.”
Keenan shared that he got into Black Sabbath after his aunt introduced him to the band. After that, everything changed. He said, “The reason I’m on a stage at all is because of Black Sabbath’s first album.”
What to Expect at the Final Black Sabbath Show
As previously reported, the original Black Sabbath lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward will reunite and headline the all-day concert “Back to the Beginning.” Taking place on July 5 in Birmingham, England, the show will be the first time in 20 years that the original Sabbath lineup performs together, and it will mark the final performance from Ozzy and Black Sabbath.
In addition to Sabbath and the aforementioned Tool, other giants of the metal and hard rock world booked for the show include Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Halestorm, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Rival Sons.
Also listed on the bill providing “additional performances” are Andrew Watt, Billy Corgan, Chad Smith Dave Ellefson, David Draiman, Fred Durst, Lzzy Hale, Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis, KK Downing, Mike Bordin, Papa V Perpetua, Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Sleep Token ii, Tom Morello, Vernon Reid, Whitfield Crane, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Zakk Wylde. Actor and known metalhead Jason Momoa will serve as the host for the show.
While Morello is performing at the show, he’s also the event’s “musical director.” He said in a recent interview with Australian Musician that when planning and booking first started, the goal was to create “the greatest day in the history of heavy metal.” On top of the current lineup, Morello noted, ” … There’s some huge superstars who are gonna be surprises on that day, too. So, the idea is to really acknowledge the importance of [Black Sabbath] in a way
