Billy Corgan, the American guitarist and front man of Smashing Pumpkins, recently lauded Black Sabbath’s conclusive concert, which took place at Villa Park on Saturday, July 5.
Corgan took to social media to share an emotional post, reflecting, “I first heard Black Sabbath on my uncle’s stereo some 50 years ago. So it was surreal to stand on a football pitch with 45,000 strong to witness the end of this grand, institutional group who has touched me personally, professionally, and at times even intimately in stolen moments of work and camaraderie.”
He also acknowledged the show’s architect, Sharon Osbourne, stating, “Music is, of course, the soundtrack to our lives, but yesterday in my estimation was something truly special. As a three-dimensional soundtrack was being crafted in real time. All to celebrate this coming home for the band once known as Earth.”
Corgan’s tribute concluded with a poetic farewell, expressing, “Every great journey has trials and tribulations, tragedies and surprise. Therein lies the magic, therein lie the tears. I both whooped yesterday in sheer exultation to be in the right spot at the right moment, and I wept silently as my heroes fell on their wizardly, mythic sword to bid us farewell.”
“We have the music, and we have them in our hearts. You don’t have to be a musician to understand. But it does help, at least if you’re trying to decode that which is elusive in the cosmos.” He finally added, “Now the band is both here and not here; with us, and yet gone. As it should be.”
For those unfamiliar, Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath marked their ultimate performance with a final concert, an all-day stadium event titled “Back to the Beginning,” held at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.
