by Wolfgang Van Halen recently revealed details about his involvement with Black Sabbath’s farewell concert. He shared that he was originally offered to perform “Changes” before ultimately being unable to participate due to scheduling conflicts, as reported by Louder Sound.
The musician explained how his role in the “Back To The Beginning” show evolved and why he had to withdraw from the performance.
“With Back To The Beginning, things kept changing,” Van Halen said. “We had the flights and the hotel booked and paid for – with our own money, actually. At one point I was supposed to play guitar on [Black Sabbath song] ‘Sweet Leaf,’ then it was ‘Changes.’”
He went on to explain the circumstances that led to his withdrawal from the event.
“What happened was, I had this Creed tour, and they moved the rehearsal schedule back for Back To The Beginning, and we couldn’t make it at that point,” he continued. “It was a bummer!”
Van Halen’s missed opportunity was part of what became one of the most significant farewell events in heavy metal history.
Consequence of Sound documented that the “Back To The Beginning” concert was held on July 5th at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, featuring Black Sabbath’s original lineup performing their final show. The event marked a historic moment as it was Black Sabbath’s first performance with drummer Bill Ward in 20 years. It was also their first since their farewell tour in 2017.
The all-day event was a rare gathering of heavy metal legends. Ozzy Osbourne’s official website confirmed that the concert featured performances by Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, and Tool. A supergroup of renowned musicians including Tom Morello, Billy Corgan, Duff McKagan, and Zakk Wylde also took part.
Black Sabbath closed their final performance with iconic songs including “War Pigs” and “Paranoid.” This brought their legendary career to an emotional conclusion. WMMR documented the complete setlist, which showcased the band’s most celebrated tracks from their groundbreaking catalog.
Wolfgang Van Halen’s scheduled involvement would have added another layer of musical legacy to the event. It would have connected the Van Halen family name with Black Sabbath’s farewell. His absence due to touring commitments with Creed highlights the complex scheduling challenges that major artists face when coordinating such historic collaborations.
