Ozzy Osbourne cancels his own festival in order to undergo surgery

The 'unspecified' medical treatment will require four weeks recovery time

Ozzy Osbourne has had to cancel his own festival in order to undergo surgery.

Ozzfiesta – the Mexican leg of Ozzfest – was due to take place at Riviera Maya’s Hard Rock Hotel on May 27, but the concert has now been cancelled, as the Black Sabbath frontman will be undergoing surgery, and needs four weeks recovery time, according to doctors.

Rolling Stone reports that the surgery is ‘unspecified’. Osbourne will still be playing a number of Monsters of Rock gigs in Brazil and Argentina at the end of April, ahead of his medical treatment.

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A statement from Ozzfiesta reads: “Like you, we were very excited about the event. However, Ozzy is having surgery, scheduled for May, following his South American tour. He requires at least four weeks of recovery time. We are very disappointed that we need to cancel.”

Meanwhile, Black Sabbath have reportedly invited Bill Ward to rejoin the band for their “farewell” gig. The performance will be at the Tokyo leg of Ozzfest on November 22.

Both Billboard and Spin report that Ward has been invited to join the band for the gig. Ward did not record with the band when they returned with latest album ’13’ in 2013, with Osbourne claiming that the drummer was overweight and unable to contribute to the band’s recording and live plans. It was additionally claimed that the band could not come to a financial agreement with Ward.

Black Sabbath will release one final album in 2015, the follow-up to ’13’. Frontman Osbourne says he understands his bandmates desire to stop touring but that he is not ready to give up yet. “[This will be] our last hurrah…then it’s no more Sabbath at all. We’re disbanding the name and everything. They don’t want to tour anymore. I get it. But I love it. I’m gonna continue my solo thing,” says Osbourne revealing that he is “in the process of collecting stuff that I’m writing” for his next solo effort.

Black Sabbath have released 13 studio albums since forming in 1968. The current line up of the band sees Osbourne and guitarist Tony Iommi joined by third original member Geezer Butler on bass.

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