Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has spoken about how unsettling it was to perform alongside Ozzy Osbourne while the singer sat on a throne during their final concert together, the Back to the Beginning show in Birmingham. Osbourne, who had endured years of ill health, used the throne to support himself on stage, in contrast to the energetic, mobile performer Iommi had known throughout their decades-long partnership. The remarks matter because they offer a poignant, first-hand account of Osbourne's final performance, delivered just over a year after his death, underlining how much his health had declined even as he continued to perform for fans.

Iommi recalled that Osbourne's stillness on the throne felt "very strange" compared with the singer's usual habit of jumping around and pulling faces to make his bandmates laugh, and said he could barely see him positioned at the front of the stage. He also revealed that the pair exchanged a text message the night before Osbourne's death, in which the singer said he wasn't feeling well, in what turned out to be their final conversation. Iommi said neither of them anticipated Osbourne's death would come so suddenly, describing the news as "a hell of a shock," and reflected that the celebratory reunion concert had unexpectedly become Osbourne's farewell.