Ozzy Osbourne Postpones Rest of 2019 Tour Dates as He Recovers from Health Scare
After postponing a number of shows in the beginning of the year, Ozzy Osbourne has officially called off the rest of his 2019 performances.
According to a statement released on Thursday, the self-proclaimed Prince of F—king Darkness will take some time off to recover from injuries he sustained while healing from a bout of pneumonia. Osbourne, who turned 70 in December, suffered a fall in his Los Angeles home, exacerbating injuries he sustained in a 2003 ATV accident.
He underwent surgery last month and continues to heal.
“I can’t believe I have to reschedule more tour dates,” Osbourne said in the statement. “Words cannot express how frustrated, angry and depressed I am not to be able to tour right now. I’m grateful for the love and support I’m getting from my family, my band, friends and fans, it’s really what’s keeping me going. Just know that I am getting better every day…I will fully recover…I will finish my tour…I will be back!”
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In early February, Osbourne announced he was postponing the first four dates of his No More Tour 2 due to his illness. However, when the “Crazy Train” singer paid his doctor a second visit, he was diagnosed with a severe upper-respiratory infection, the musician’s rep said in a statement at the time. Because of the toll touring takes on his body and his extensive travel schedule in severe winter conditions, the doctor feared the infection could develop into pneumonia.
Weeks after postponing the European dates, he then axed more dates in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
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In October, the legendary rocker, who underwent hand surgery at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center earlier that month, recalled how he “freaked out” when he discovered his right hand had swelled up after contracting a potentially deadly staph infection — and his thumb was 10 times bigger than usual “the size of a f—in’ lightbulb.”
Describing his surgery, Osbourne remembered the “agony” of getting the flesh in his hand cleaned out. “I could hardly move. I really had no energy,” he said to Rolling Stone.
“They cut all this stuff out. Even with the numbing stuff, it was agony. It wasn’t pus, but it was the stage after pus, when it gets in the blood and goes in your body and f—ing kills you,” Osbourne told the outlet.
As for how he contracted the infections, Osbourne recalled how meeting his fans may have affected his health. “The doctor said to me, ‘Can you remember talking to someone and shaking hands?’ Well, I do that meet and greet at the gig and I must shake f—ing 200 hands a day. He said, ‘That explains it,’” he said to Rolling Stone.
In November 2017, Osbourne announced his global “farewell world tour” from 2018 to 2020.
“I’m looking at this final tour as being a huge celebration for my fans and anyone who has enjoyed my music over the past five decades,” Osbourne said at the time.
