Tobias Forge has shared details of the moving backstage encounters he experienced with Black Sabbath members during their final concert in Birmingham this July.
The Ghost frontman, who performed Ozzy Osbourne’s “Bark at the Moon” as Papa V Perpetua at the Back to the Beginning show at Villa Park, managed to connect with all four legendary musicians in what proved to be deeply personal moments.
Speaking to Metal Hammer, Forge revealed the varying nature of his interactions with each band member. His conversation with Ozzy was brief, acknowledging the singer’s busy schedule and the crowd of longtime friends and collaborators surrounding him. “I just sort of tapped him on the back, like, ‘Hey, man, happy to be here!'” Forge explained.
His most extensive conversation was with bassist Geezer Butler, whom Forge described as “extremely switched on” and someone who “should not retire at all.”
However, it was his meeting with drummer Bill Ward that provided the most touching moment of the evening.
Ward, who has remained largely inactive as a live performer in recent years, had stepped away from the circuit for some time, making this encounter particularly significant for Forge. “Bill had been out of the circuit for a little while and I’d never met him, so I went up and introduced myself,” the Ghost leader recounted.
What followed was a surprisingly vulnerable conversation that revealed the human side of one of metal’s most celebrated figures. Ward confided in Forge about feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of the occasion. “He was very vulnerable,” Forge observed. “I remember seeing interviews with him when I was a kid and he was this gruffy man, hammering drums. He looked like someone’s dad.”
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The contrast between Ward’s past persona and his present state struck Forge deeply. “And now, he’s this little man, standing there with drumsticks, just uncertain as to how to feel about this whole thing,” he continued. Rather than viewing this vulnerability negatively, Forge found beauty in the moment, adding, “And you know what? That’s beautiful, too.”
