Rock history was made over the weekend in Birmingham, England, as two of the genre's biggest icons—Ozzy Osbourne and Axl Rose—met in person for the first time. The meeting, captured in a backstage photo shared by Ozzy himself, surprised many fans who assumed the rock legends had long crossed paths. But despite decades of headlining the same festivals and shaping generations of metal and hard rock, the two had never met until Saturday's monumental Back to the Beginning concert.
'My first time meeting Axl Rose,' Osbourne wrote on Instagram alongside the now-viral photo of the two shaking hands. 'At my age, you don't get to meet many legends. Seriously, an utter gentleman.'
A Moment That's Decades In The Making
The show was especially significant for Osbourne, who marked it as his final live performance—both as a solo artist and as the frontman of Black Sabbath. After years of health challenges, including spinal surgery and a Parkinson's diagnosis, the 75-year-old musician returned to his hometown for one last hurrah. The concert, billed as a farewell to the city where it all began, was a powerful closing chapter in a career that helped define heavy metal.
On X (formerly Twitter), Axl Rose shared his excitement and gratitude for the experience, saying the night was 'extremely overwhelming' and calling Ozzy a 'great' person. 'MET OZZY!! (Crazy we'd never met b4!!),' he posted. 'Was hard as I imagine for anyone to watch [Ozzy's] struggles while at the same time everyone was rooting for him... and HE DID IT!!!!'
Guns N' Roses Pay Homage to Black Sabbath
Guns N' Roses, headliners in their own right, paid homage to the Prince of Darkness during their set by performing four Black Sabbath classics, in addition to belting out crowd favorites like 'Welcome to the Jungle' and 'Paradise City.' The band's tribute was met with roaring approval, as fans recognized the passing of a torch between rock generations.
It was a full-circle moment for Ozzy, specifically returning to Birmingham, where Black Sabbath first came out of oblivion in the late 1960s, blending blues-rock with darker themes and down-tuned guitars that would later evolve into the sound of heavy metal. Black Sabbath's influence has since permeated every corner of the genre, from doom to death metal, and Ozzy, its most recognizable voice, leaves behind a towering legacy.
Start Of A New Friendship?
Ozzy's final bow carried added weight as it followed a string of health-related cancellations in recent years. Fans were asking if the rock legend would ever perform again, making Saturday's show all the more memorable. The overall atmosphere was one of celebration and reverence. The crowd definitely gave a proper sendoff for one of music's most enduring figures.
But perhaps the most unexpected highlight was the newfound camaraderie between Ozzy and Axl—two rock stars whose paths have now finally crossed. When legends unite, the spirit of rock lives on, louder than ever.
