As the heavy metal world gathered in Birmingham for BLACK SABBATH’s epic farewell show, many fans were left wondering why MÖTLEY CRÜE — longtime friends and tourmates of Ozzy Osbourne — were noticeably absent from the historic lineup. Now, bassist Nikki Sixx has provided an answer.
Held on Saturday, July 5, at Villa Park in BLACK SABBATH’s hometown, the “Back to the Beginning” event brought together a jaw-dropping assembly of rock and metal royalty. The original SABBATH lineup — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward — performed together for the first time in nearly two decades. They were joined by an all-star cast that included METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA, TOOL, KORN, ALICE IN CHAINS, ANTHRAX, GUNS N’ ROSES, GOJIRA, and even a surprise appearance from AEROSMITH’s Steven Tyler.
Despite their close ties to the Osbournes, MÖTLEY CRÜE was a no-show — a detail not lost on fans. Earlier in the week, Nikki Sixx took to Instagram to publicly congratulate Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne on the landmark gig and reflect on their early support of MÖTLEY CRÜE.
“Ozzy and Sharon gave us our first real big tour in 1984 on the ‘Shout at the Devil’ tour,” Sixx wrote. “They gave us the opportunity to play in front of Ozzy and, in my opinion, broke the band. Congratulations on an amazing career and what a bad-a*s send-off.”
Still, their absence from the final BLACK SABBATH concert raised questions. One fan on X (formerly Twitter) directly asked Sixx if the band had been invited to perform. His response was brief but revealing: “We have been having health issues within the band…”
While Sixx didn’t elaborate further, this lines up with recent events surrounding the band. Earlier this year, MÖTLEY CRÜE postponed their planned Las Vegas residency so that frontman Vince Neil could recover from an undisclosed medical procedure. A festival appearance was also scrapped soon after, fueling further speculation about the singer’s health.
Adding to the drama, Neil’s private jet was involved in a fatal crash earlier this year. Although he wasn’t onboard, his girlfriend Rain Andreani and a friend sustained injuries in the incident. Thankfully, their conditions were reported as non-life-threatening, but the situation understandably caused personal strain.
Given the band’s recent challenges, Sixx’s explanation seems to clarify why MÖTLEY CRÜE wasn’t able to join their metal peers for what was arguably one of the biggest moments in the genre’s history.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.