Ozzy Osbourne may have taken his final bow with Black Sabbath, but the real drama didn’t come from the stage—it came from his wife.
Sharon Osbourne, who’s managed Ozzy’s career since 1979 and has never shied away from making headlines, dropped a delicious little bombshell before the farewell concert at Villa Park: she disinvited a band from performing because they “wanted to make a profit.”
“It’s not the time to make a profit,” she told Billboard ahead of the 10-hour mega-show. “After the show, I’ll let everybody know who it was. I think people will be shocked.”
Shocked? Not exactly. Reddit wasn’t having it. Within hours, metal fans were throwing names around like beer cans in a mosh pit—and two names kept coming back like bad encores: KISS and Mötley Crüe.
Sharon Osbourne Isn’t Saying It Was KISS—But Fans Are
The number one suspect? Gene Simmons and company. Fans didn’t mince words:
“KISS. The most greedy band on the planet.”
“Gene Simmons is all about that money.”
“I seen something about them referring to KISS. That’s my bet also.”
And honestly? It tracks. KISS wrapped up their “End of the Road Tour” in 2023 at Madison Square Garden. A farewell tour that came with… merchandising, NFTs, and a final show hologram. If anyone knows how to monetize an ending, it’s them.
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But Then Again… It Could Be Mötley Crüe
Another strong contender? Mötley Crüe, who famously said goodbye in 2015, signed a “no more tours” contract, then came roaring back in 2019 when the Netflix money hit.
“They made so much money on their Farewell Tour… then they wanted another cash grab.”
“Even if they have money. They need more.”
“Having to sit through Axl was bad enough—imagine adding Vince Neil.”
Ouch.
Who It’s Not
Sharon’s daughter Kelly stepped in to deny that the mystery band was Megadeth, and Sharon herself cleared Iron Maiden of suspicion earlier this year in Metal Hammer. Foo Fighters and Limp Bizkit were also tossed into the ring—but with Fred Durst actually on the lineup, that guess didn’t hold up.
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What We Do Know
The “Back to the Beginning” show featured performances from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer, Alice in Chains, Pantera, and more—hosted by none other than Jason Momoa. Tom Morello served as musical director. The crowd got emotional. Ozzy played through the pain. And Sharon? She played gatekeeper.
The event was designed to raise money for charity—not a cash grab. All profits went to Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice. So when a band came sniffing around for a payday, Sharon said nope.
“They wanted to make a profit,” she repeated. “It’s not the time.”
And Now We Wait…
Sharon says she’ll reveal the band’s identity soon. But judging by the Reddit threads, Twitter theories, and collective side-eyes from the metal community, the internet already made up its mind.
Was it KISS? Was it Mötley Crüe? One thing’s for sure: Sharon Osbourne stays ready with the receipts—and the final note of Ozzy’s career came with just the right amount of backstage beef.
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