Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler appear in new promotional material for Birmingham Premier League football club Aston Villa. The Black Sabbath members, who were both part of the Brummie band’s original 1968-to-1979 lineup and numerous reunions since, open the short social media trailer by sharing a phone call.
“Ay, Geezer!” vocalist Osbourne begins. “Alright Ozz?” bassist Butler replies. “Let’s play Villa Park [Aston Villa’s home stadium]!” “As long as I’m left wing!”
The video is then soundtracked by legendary 1970 Black Sabbath song Paranoid. Osbourne and Butler reappear later in the trailer, with the bassist interrupting Paranoid to put on the UEFA Champions League theme (Aston Villa qualified for the Champions League for the first time last season by finishing fourth in the Premier League).
Osbourne comes back in the brand Aston Villa kit, shouting, “Sharoooooooon! Where are my Preds?!” The exclamation, ostensibly directed at Osbourne’s wife/manager Sharon, is a reference to the singer’s time on MTV reality television series The Osbournes.
The new clip was released to reveal Aston Villa’s home kit for the 2024 season. Watch the full video via the player embedded below.
Osbourne, following multiple stints with Black Sabbath and a four-decade-long solo career, announced last year that he was retiring from live touring. However, Sharon revealed in January that the singer is planning two farewell shows for 2025, which will take place in Villa Park. Osbourne grew up in the Aston area of Birmingham.
In April, Butler said that he had been contacted by Osbourne to perform at the shows. The revelation came amidst media speculation of a one-off Black Sabbath reunion, as Osbourne declared the band “unfinished” on his podcast The Madhouse Chronicles.
Butler told Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk: “Of course there’s an interest [on my part to do it], but there’s a big ‘but’ – you’d have to speak to Bill [Ward, original Black Sabbath drummer] about it.
“Everybody wants to do it [but I don’t know if he is] capable [of pulling it off].”
Ward had previously declined to participate in the original Black Sabbath lineup’s 2016-to-2017 farewell tour due to contract disputes. The fourth founding Black Sabbath member, Tony Iommi, recently released a new fragrance called Deified.
The cologne is the guitarist’s second collaboration with perfume company Xerjoff, following 2021’s Scent Of Dark.
Instant classic.UP THE VILLA! 💜 pic.twitter.com/cDJTFniFM6July 23, 2024
