**A Fan’s Tribute: “Back to the Beginning” from Across the Ocean**
I’m a 74-year-old disabled veteran who couldn’t afford a ticket to Ozzy’s final concert — or the plane fare to the UK — but that didn’t stop me from experiencing *Back to the Beginning* in my own way. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, and yeah, I still dive into Slayer albums, too — metal runs deep in my blood.
Years ago, when Ozzy had to cancel a show here in Michigan, I was crushed. But a neighbor down the street — a good guy who actually lives near Ozzy’s place — told me something wild. He saw the fire truck pass his home, responding to a fire at Ozzy’s place. Turns out, those infamous curtain flames injured Ozzy’s hand, which forced him to cancel that show. Even then, I felt somehow connected to the man behind the legend.
So when this farewell concert in Birmingham came around, I knew I couldn’t be there in person. But thanks to some amazing folks on a fan page, who pointed me to video links of the full Ozzy set *and* the full Sabbath set, I got to see it all. And not just see it — I made my own DVD copy. My own personal tribute to the music that’s been with me through the decades.
I watched that performance from start to finish in my living room, volume cranked, air guitar in hand. It wasn’t a seat in the front row, but it was real to me — every scream, every riff, every moment of raw emotion.
So to everyone who helped make that possible: THANK YOU. You didn’t just share videos. You helped a disabled vet live a dream from across the ocean. Metal fo
rever. \m/
