Megadeth was one of the most glaring absences from Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s final concert. Now, in a new interview, Ozzy’s widow/manager, Sharon, has explained why the band was not part of the Back to the Beginning festival.

Speaking to Rolling Stone in October 2026, Sharon opened up about making the big tribute event happen. “Oh my God, there were so many great, great performances,” she said. “It was just overwhelming. Even down to when the drummers were up there: Travis [Barker], Chad [Smith], and Danny [Carey]. Everything was just great that day. Without Tom Morello, without [Live Nation promoter] Andy Copping, it would never have happened.

Sharon Osbourne says they had too little time to fit everyone into “Back to the Beginning”

“Tom Morello was an absolute saint, and he is incredible,” Sharon added. “His sense of music and of what’s right and what’s not right, he’s just an incredible person. He needs a sainthood. He is the saint of metal. He’s so wise and knows what he’s talking about on so many different levels.”

“Andy Copping, who has been in our lives forever too, from Live Nation, he is just an incredible music man,” the longtime music mogul added. “There’s not one band on that show that wasn’t a friend of Andy’s. Even though he works for Live Nation, a huge corporation, everybody adores Andy Copping. He’s one of the most famous promoters in the world. He’s just the best.”

Rolling Stone journalist Kory Grow noted that they all “put together a great lineup”, to which Sharon replied by noting: “We really, really wanted Megadeth. There was no time. We couldn’t fit everybody in on one day. There were so many bands that were due to play that we just couldn’t because there was not enough time.”

Megadeth was in Europe around the time of “Back to the Beginning” and reportedly wanted to join

Notably, in a 2025 interview, Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo revealed to journalist Charrie Foglio that the band was just not “invited” to the big show.

“Not everybody gets invited to every party,” he said respectfully. “But at the same time, when we were in Europe last week, David [Mustaine] said that he was reaching out to everybody and telling them that we were in the neighborhood and that we were close enough to come. And if they wanted us to, we could stay over for a few days and work it out.”

He continued, emphasizing, “If they wanted us to. I don’t know what our manager had accomplished with that, but it didn’t get accomplished, so we just came home.”

Well, it seems now we have our answer.

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Ozzy Osbourne’s death was a tragic moment for the metal community. For his Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi, it forced him to examine his own mortality.

Speaking with The Telegraph, Iommi, 78, shared that losing Ozzy, as well as other friends, has given him perspective on aging that he didn’t necessarily want. “I’ve had a few friends go now,” the legendary guitarist said, “and you think, ‘Blimey, hang on, I’m 78, how much longer?’”

Iommi then shared that he’s often had this “conversation” with his Queen counterpart Brian May. “He’s more dismal than me,” he quipped. “Bloody hell.”

Ozzy Osbourne passed away in July 2025

The founding frontman of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22, 2025. Just weeks prior, he shared the stage with his heavy metal bandmates for the final time: Iommi, Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums).

“He was a part of my life for 60 years. I do miss him,” Iommi said. He went on to comment on how the band’s final show was somewhat tailored to Ozzy’s physical health needs. “We all were shocked because they had to help him in and carry him in and sit him down,” Iommi recalled. “We had a chat and a laugh, but it was just sad to see him like that.”

Iommi joked that Ozzy’s “never been there” mentally, but then noted that this time around his state of being was much more concerning. “It’s like he wasn’t there,” he said. “[I was] so used to, over the years, him running backwards and forwards and coming up, pulling faces and having a laugh.”

Black Sabbath played their final show at the “Back to the Beginning” fest just weeks before Ozzy’s death

“All of a sudden, there I am playing to the back of a chair,” Iommi continued. “Also, Bill wanted me to stand by him because he was unsure of certain things. But we got through it, and Ozzy was pleased afterwards. I’m glad we did it.”

Finally, Iommi shared how he felt about Ozzy doing two sets that night: a solo set and then one with Black Sabbath. He seemed to chalk it up to Ozzy and his wife/manager Sharon Osbourne wanting to go big.

“I did say to him: ‘I don’t think you should do two sets.’ I said: ‘You either do your set and then we’ll come on and just bow or whatever. Or, do our set.’ But he wanted to do two,” Iommi said. “Or Sharon wanted him to do two. I don’t know.”

“But he did, and I was concerned that he was really going to knock himself out,” Iommi concluded. “I knew it was going to be the last time of playing [live] in Sabbath, yeah. But I didn’t know as far as with Oz [that he was] going to go that quick.”

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