Zakk Wylde is reflecting on his final interaction with Ozzy Osbourne, a heartfelt text message sent shortly after Black Sabbath’s last performance together.
In a new interview with Guitar World published Tuesday, July 29, Wylde, 58, opened up about the last time he heard from the legendary frontman, who passed away on July 22 at the age of 76.
The message came after Black Sabbath’s farewell show at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on July 5, a moment Wylde remembers clearly.
“Everybody and their mother were in the backstage dressing room,” the Black Label Society guitarist recalled. “I just wanted to give him a break.”
Wylde had assumed they’d catch up later that night or the following day. But that moment never came. Instead, he received a final text. “Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn’t see you,” Osbourne wrote. “Thanks for everything.”
Wylde said the two ended the conversation with a simple but meaningful exchange: “It was just us talking, saying, ‘I love you, buddy.’ That was it.”
Wylde described the show as “business as usual,” but noted the team’s focus was on making sure Ozzy was well. “Seeing Oz onstage when Sabbath got done, that’s the last time I saw him,” he added.
Their bond extended far beyond the stage. Wylde, who first joined Osbourne’s band in 1987, described their relationship as family.
“Ozzy is the godfather of our oldest son,” he shared. “Whether I was playing with him or not, if Sharon called me and my wife and said, ‘Guys, can you watch the house while we’re away?’ I’d do it. If they needed milk and eggs, I’d bring them.”
Wylde played with Osbourne on and off for decades, joining him again for the No More Tours II farewell tour, which began in 2018. Most recently, he stood by Osbourne’s side at his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2024.
Following Osbourne’s death, his family released a statement: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
Wylde’s memories paint a portrait of enduring loyalty, a final message between two friends who shared not just music, but a lifetime.
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