One might wonder what Wolfgang Van Halen was thinking. He had previously committed to playing at Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's farewell concert in Birmingham, England, on July 5. The guitarist was going to be part of a supergroup that included Tom Morello, Billy Corgan, David Ellefson, and others.
The group was performing to honor Sabbath, and it was not going to be a long-term project. It was more for fun. It would have been fantastic to watch.
But fans going to the event at Villa Park or streaming it online won't see WVH play after all. He has announced his regret that he will have to pull out of the show. The reason is that his band, Mammoth, is set to support Creed on their new tour. The tour starts at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Wolfgang Van Halen's timing for backing out of the Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath farewell show is strange
The date, though, is odd. Creed and Mammoth will hit the road beginning July 9, so four days after the Ozzy and Sabbath farewell. There does not appear to be any logistical reasons for WVH to miss the concert. It isn't like he is expected to play the next day.
Of course, even if he was, he would have had enough time to fly back to the United States in time for the gig. Maybe he has rehearsals to attend ahead of the tour, but WVH has been around long enough to know how the music industry works. He isn't new to his band, so there shouldn't be a premium on the rehearsals.
One could rightly wonder if something else is afoot. Perhaps the guitarist was not happy with where the supergroup was slated to appear on the farewell concert schedule. Maybe he didn't get along with someone else in the group. Perhaps, he simply didn't want to go.
One thing appears certain: while bands such as Judas Priest would likely do anything they could to appear at the farewell, except that they have a concert scheduled on the same day, WVH is withdrawing from the gig, even though he knew well in advance when Mammoth and Creed would be playing shows.
It all smacks of disrespect and selfishness. Hopefully, it is something as simple as that and not something worse, such as someone being ill. At least that would forgive his sudden disappearance from the final concert of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.