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Just about every rock\/metal drummer would jump at the chance to play with Black Sabbath<\/a> if they could. Surprisingly, one person who was asked to do so but turned down the offer is former Who<\/a> and Oasis<\/a> drummer Zak Starkey<\/a>, and he\u2019s since expressed \u201cregret\u201d over not joining the godfathers of heavy metal over a decade ago.<\/p>\n Naturally, countless fans, friends and colleague\/prot\u00e9g\u00e9s of Ozzy Osbourne<\/a> have paid their respects to the legendary singer following his July 22, 2025 passing<\/a>. That includes Starkey, who \u2013 on July 23 \u2013 shared his own tribute while revealing that Sharon Osbourne<\/a> asked him to fill the drummer seat in 2012.<\/p>\n Starkey\u2019s Instagram post<\/a> includes an image of an email he received from Sharon Osbourne that reads:<\/p>\n Zak,<\/p>\n Black Sabbath is headlining Download<\/a> on June 10 and then Lollapalooza in August. The guys need a drummer for their album, which will be recorded in September with Rick Rubin producing. We would probably need you for 2-3 weeks for the album. Also, they need a drummer to play at Lollapalooza which is on August 3 in Chicago. Also, Ozzy wants to have sex with you while he is singing Iron Man.<\/p>\n Big Kiss,<\/p>\n Sharon<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Alongside the image, Starkey writes:<\/p>\n Regrets I\u2019ve had a few -this is one – (not the sex part!) Ozzy will always be one of the greatest, natural , brilliant singers of all time. I send much love and strength to his family at this sad sad time. If u aren\u2019t familiar with the never say die record – get into it – it\u2019s so far out \u2013 X<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n You can see Starkey’s post below (via Stereogum):<\/p>\n Oddly enough, Starkey doesn\u2019t elaborate on why<\/em> he didn\u2019t take her up on the offer (despite being asked several times in the replies). However, Stereogum mentions: \u201cFar Out<\/a>\u00a0[Magazine] pointed out that Starkey was dealing with a\u00a0tendon issue<\/a>\u00a0in 2013, which may or may not have been why Starkey declined the request.\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, the album Sharon Osbourne is referring to is Black Sabbath\u2019s final LP \u2013 2013\u2019s 13<\/a> \u2013 which was their first since 1995\u2019s Forbidden<\/a><\/em>. Although it didn\u2019t feature drummer Bill Ward<\/a>, it did<\/em> mark the first time the other three original members \u2013 guitarist Tony Iommi<\/a>, bassist Geezer Butler<\/a> and vocalist Ozzy \u2013 appeared on a Black Sabbath studio collection since 1978\u2019s Never Say Die!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n As for why the band needed a new drummer for 13<\/em>, their current touring drummer (Tommy Clufetos<\/a>, who replaced Ward earlier that year) was finishing up his duties. Ultimately, Rage Against the Machine<\/a>\u2019s Brad Wilk<\/a> played on 13<\/em>, and both men played on Black Sabbath\u2019s final EP: 2016\u2019s The End<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n So, would you have been down to see and hear Starkey play with Black Sabbath during the summer of 2012 (and have him play on 13<\/a><\/em>)? Let us know!<\/p>\n READ MORE: 25 Photos of Birmingham Transforming Into Tribute Hub For Ozzy Osbourne<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Obviously, Bill Ward was Black Sabbath’s first and last drummer (having joined his former bandmates<\/a> at their monumental Back to the Beginning<\/a> final show on July 5, 2025 in Birmingham, England). He also retuned and left several times along the way, with more than a handful of other players \u2013 in addition to Clufetos and Wilk \u2013 also sitting behind the kit over the last 55 or so years.<\/p>\n For instance, Dio<\/a>\u2019s Vinny Appice<\/a> was a part of both Black Sabbath and Heaven and Hell<\/a>, having featured on the former\u2019s Mob Rules<\/a><\/em> (1981) and Dehumanizer<\/a><\/em> (1992) and the latter\u2019s only studio LP: The Devil You Know<\/em> (2009). There was also Rainbow<\/a>\u2019s Cozy Powell on 1989\u2019s Headless Cross<\/a><\/em> and 1990\u2019s Tyr<\/a><\/em>, as well as Rainbow\u2019s Bobby Rondinelli on 1994\u2019s Cross Purposes<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n Sadly, Starkey has had several past, present or future missed opportunities to lament in 2025. Specifically, he was fired twice<\/em> from The Who<\/a> (with whom he played since 1996) earlier this year, with guitarist\/vocalist Pete Townshend<\/a> claiming at the time that \u201cthe time has come for a change\u201d and that Starkey \u201chas lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.\u201d<\/p>\n Then, at the end of May, Loudwire<\/a> reported on Starkey being \u201cgutted\u201d that he wouldn\u2019t be a part of Oasis\u2019 2025 reunion tour<\/a>. Speaking to BBC Breakfast<\/a><\/em> (via NME<\/a>), Starkey \u2013 who was with Oasis from 2004 to 2008 \u2013 reflected: \u201c”I texted them and said, ‘Why am I not in it?\u2019\u201d That said, he also mentioned that he understood why Oasis went with Joey Waronker instead: \u201cYou know, if you get a new drummer, you get comfortable, don\u2019t you? You get comfortable with new musicians and I think that\u2019s what\u2019s happened and I\u2019m alright with that.\u201d<\/p>\n There has been a lot<\/em> going on in the Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne camps over the last few weeks.<\/p>\n For instance, news emerged that a concert film about the show is coming to theatres in 2026<\/a>, and members of Motley Crue<\/a>, Soundgarden<\/a> and Megadeth<\/a> addressed why their respective bands weren\u2019t at the iconic event.<\/p>\n As for Ozzy, his passing has deeply affected the entire rock and metal community (including all of us at Loudwire). This, it\u2019s not surprising that tributes to him continue to pour in, with Black Sabbath<\/a>, Geezer Butler<\/a>, Bill Ward<\/a>, Tony Iommi<\/a>, David Lee Roth<\/a>, Billy Corgan<\/a>, Zakk Wylde<\/a> and other rockers<\/a> and fans<\/a> already honoring what Ozzy meant to them. Even Kermit the Frog<\/a> and PETA<\/a> had kind words to say about him.<\/p>\n Beyond that, Ozzy recently announced his second memoir<\/a>, Last Rites<\/em>, and his final social media post turned into an online fan memorial<\/a>.<\/p>\n RIP, Prince of Darkness.<\/p>\n The songs Black Sabbath played the most and least from each of their 19 studio albums through the years.<\/p>\nWhat Starkey Said<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Black Sabbath\u2019s History of Drummers<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Other Zak Starkey News<\/h3>\n
Other Black Sabbath + Ozzy Osbourne News<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Most + Least Played Songs From Every Black Sabbath Album<\/h2>\n