Black Sabbath reunited one last time with its original line-up on July 5 to perform their farewell show in Birmingham, England, which turned out to be an emotional goodbye.
Just weeks later, the band lost its vocalist and famed frontman Ozzy Osbourne, with the Prince of Darkness passing away on July 22 aged 76 from a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
While Ozzy has remained in the spotlight beyond his fame with Black Sabbath due to his status as a reality TV star with his entire family, what have the other members of the band’s original line-up been up to in the lead-up to their reunion show?
© Getty ImagesHere’s what the other original Black Sabbath members have done recently…
Tony Iommi, 77
Guitarist, leader, primary composer and sole continuous member Tony Iommi, now 77, has actively remained the central member of the heavy metal band throughout its nearly six-decade long journey.
© Getty ImagesTony made his solo debut in 2000 with his self-titled album and frequently works with guest vocalists and other groups to this day, even contributing his skills to Ozzy’s solo work back in 2022. He was last featured on Robbie Williams’ track “Rocket,” which came out in May 2025.
In 2006, he formed the band Heaven & Hell, although the group disbanded in 2010 with the death of singer Ronnie James Dio. Tony currently still lives in Birmingham with his wife Maria Sjöholm.
© Getty ImagesGeezer Butler, 76
Bassist and primary Black Sabbath lyricist Geezer Butler, now 76, has kept away from the stage more so than other members of the band. He previously reunited with the band to record their final studio album, 13, and tour in 2016-17, and retired from touring in 2023.
© Getty ImagesHe remains active on social media, however, and frequently shared updates of Black Sabbath’s farewell show this July, making his first appearance on stage in years to commemorate their final show, “Back to the Beginning.”
He published his autobiography Into the Void: From Birth to Black Sabbath—And Beyond in 2023. Geezer still lives in the United Kingdom with his wife Gloria Dee Butler.
© Getty ImagesBill Ward, 77
Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, now 77, left the band in 1980 after they recorded Heaven & Hell, rejoining them intermittently and most recently at their farewell show. After a brief hiatus, he began work on a solo album, which also included a collaboration with Ozzy, releasing Ward One: Along the Way in 1990. His second, When the Bough Breaks, came in 1997, with his third and final solo album, Accountable Beasts, coming in 2015.
© Getty ImagesBill dealt with several issues with his health over the latter part of his career, beginning with a heart attack in 1998 while on tour with Black Sabbath. He was due to join the group with their album 13 due to issues regarding his health and contract, with him and Ozzy falling out over comments made by the latter regarding his health.
The pair reconciled a few years later after Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and he was able to finally reunite with the group for the first time in years to perform at “Back to the Beginning.”
