In the current issue of Music Week you can read all about the road to one of the biggest concerts in recent memory. On July 5, a sold-out Villa Park stadium in Birmingham will bear witness to Back To The Beginning as Black Sabbath – performing as the original line-up of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward for the first time in over two decades – conduct their final performance.
Produced by Live Nation, the star-studded charity show will also feature sets from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Billy Corgan, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Mastodon and Alice In Chains, among many others. All proceeds will go to charity.
Today, another unique – and charitable – aspect of what is sure to be one of the biggest live events in recent memory has come to light. The official programme for the event has been revealed to be a unique collaboration between Black Sabbath, the Big Issue, and Classic Rock and Metal Hammer magazines.
The initial idea, which started with the team at Classic Rock and Metal Hammer, has developed into a special commemorative 68pp official programme, that will be sold on the day by Big Issue vendors at Villa Park for £15, with all profits going to the Big Issue to help in their mission to end poverty.
Speaking about the programme, Classic Rock/Metal Hammer content director Scott Rowley said: “A lot of programmes don’t look great and don’t have enough to read. So we thought: What if we made a collectible one-off Black Sabbath magazine, that was printed and sold by the Big Issue? Sabbath fans get a cool product, and all the profits go into the pockets of Birmingham's homeless.”
Paul McNamee, UK editor of Big Issue, added: “Big Issue is delighted and honoured to be involved in this key moment in British cultural life. We thank the Osbournes, and everyone at Future, for bringing us along for the ride. It’s a wonderful gesture and will help our Big Issue vendor colleagues who are present at Villa Park, and will also help us carry on the fight against homelessness and poverty afterwards. The programme is going to become a must-have collector’s item – so get it while you can!”
Sabbath fans get a cool product, and all the profits go into the pockets of Birmingham's homeless
Scott Rowley, Classic Rock/Metal Hammer
The programme will contain interviews with all four members of Black Sabbath, as they look back on their career and say goodbye to their fans, plus interviews with the bands playing on the day: Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Ghost, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Lamb Of God, Zakk Wylde, and many more.
The farewell show’s musical director Tom Morello has also written an introduction and Live Nation’s Andy Copping, who put the show together, is also interviewed. Also included are memories from fans, excerpts from interviews over the years, and “loads of shots of the godfathers of metal”.
The £15 programme will be available at the Villa Park show and fans who can’t make it can grab a copy from the Classic Rock and Metal Hammer shop here.
You can revisit our recent interview with Sharon Osbourne and Tony Iommi here.
