Ozzy Osbourne Confirmed As First Headliner For 2018 Download Festival
Ozzy Osbourne has been announced as the first headliner for next year’s Download festival in the UK. The legendary rocker last played at Download with Black Sabbath in 2016 and he will return to the celebration of rock and metal, which runs between 8-10 June 2018, to headline the Sunday night as a solo artist.
Andy Copping, promoter for the Derbyshire-based Download Festival says: “We’re unbelievably excited to have Ozzy as one of the headliners next year. Already hailing from the midlands, Ozzy Osbourne is no stranger to Download, and after Black Sabbath closed the festival in 2016, how could I not ask The Prince Of Darkness to come back all on his own? The Download family are without a shadow of a doubt, in for a treat.”
Although Sabbath brought the curtain down on their career in February with a final performance at Birmingham’s Genting Arena, Ozzy has reported that he has no plans to retire.
He recently said: “They’ve retired but I haven’t. It’s like I’m jumping off one boat on to another.
“People forget, I was with Sabbath from 1968 to ‘79, but I’ve been on my own from ‘79 until now. I’ve been on my own thing for a lot longer than when I was with Sabbath. I love what Sabbath did for me and I love what I did for Sabbath, but it’s not the be-all, end-all of my own whole career.”
He added: “People around my age go, ‘I’m 65 now. I’m retired.’ Then they f__king die. My father got a bit of cash from the job he had, did the garden and died. And I’m going, ‘That’s a bit of an anti-climax after working so many years in a factory.’
“I ain’t retiring. People still want to see me, so what’s there to retire from?”
Tickets for Download 2018 are available from the official festival site, while other artists will be revealed in due course.
In addition to Download, Ozzy Osbourne has also been confirmed to headline at Denmark’s Copenhall 2018 Festival (from 21- 23 June, Ozzy’s slot to be confirmed) and at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium, on 24 June. For these shows, Ozzy will be joined by long-time collaborators Zakk Wylde (Guitar), Blasko (Bass), Tommy Clufetos (Drums), and Adam Wakeman (Keyboards).
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