Birmingham’s Judas Priest release Ozzy Osbourne charity single

Heavy metal band Judas Priest have released a charity single featuring the late Ozzy Osbourne to raise money for Parkinson’s disease charities.

The former Black Sabbath frontman was diagnosed with the degenerative neurological condition in 2019, and died in July, weeks after a farewell gig at Aston Villa.

Judas Priest, who formed in Birmingham in the 1960s, decided to release a charity version of Black Sabbath’s War Pigs after they were unable to join the band, and other metal groups, at the show due to prior commitments.

Band member Glenn Tipton, who has also been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, features on guitar with Rob Halford and Osbourne taking alternate vocal lines on the song.

The track was initially conceived as a tribute video for Osbourne and Black Sabbath before the band suggested turning it into a charity single.

Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members, Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward, were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the Back To The Beginning concert in July.

Among the other bands performing were Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N’Roses.

Osbourne’s widow Sharon and children Aimee, Jack and Kelly visited floral tributes laid at Black Sabbath bridge following his death on 22 July in a cortege that weaved through the streets of his home city.

Judas Priest’s rendition of the Black Sabbath classic was released on Friday with all profits donated to the Glenn Tipton Parkinson’s Foundation and Cure Parkinson’s.