Ozzy Osbourne is “determined” to tour again – even if it means being “nailed to a board and wheeled on”.
The 73-year-old singer – who recently took some time away from the spotlight as he dealt with his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and spinal problems – insists he will be back on stage for a run of shows because it is where he “belongs”.
He said: “I am determined to get back on stage even if I have to be nailed to a board and wheeled on. Survival is my legacy.
“It’s where I belong. The relationship I have with my audience is the biggest love affair of my life.”
Ozzy insists he feels “young at heart”, but knows he is getting older because “things go wrong”.
He added to PEOPLE: “That’s the only thing that reminds me I’m getting older: things going wrong and not working anymore. But I still feel young at heart.”
Ozzy returned to the stage in the US last week for a half-time performance at the Los Angeles Rams’ SoFi Stadium, as they took on the Buffalo Bills in the NFL season opener.
The Black Sabbath star opened his performance with the song ‘Patient Number 9’, the titular track from his new 13th solo studio album, and he was later joined by guitarist Zakk Wylde for tune ‘Crazy Train’.
It was Ozzy’s first US performance since he joined forces with Post Malone and Travis Scott to collaborate on their ‘Take What You Want’ tune at the 2019 American Music Awards, while he hasn’t played a full gig since 2018.
But he did make a surprise appearance at last month’s Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in his home city of Birmingham, England, to perform alongside fellow Sabbath legend Tony Iommi, and drummer Tommy Clufetos and bassist Adam Wakeman.
Ozzy – who was born in the inner Birmingham area of Aston – told the crowd: “I love you, Birmingham – it’s good to be back.”
The ‘Paranoid’ star suffered a fall at his Los Angeles home while he was battling pneumonia in 2019 and at one point in time, he was left contemplating the worst.
He recently said: “It got so bad that at one point I thought, ‘Oh God, please don’t let me wake up tomorrow morning.’ Because it was f****** agony.”
Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in February 2019, which he publicly revealed in January 2020.