Bill Ward, 78, Says He Uses Wheelchair More but Keeps Drumming

Q: What really prompted Bill Ward's announcement, a year after the band's final concert and Ozzy's tragic death?

Bill Ward’s announcement was prompted by a practical change in his mobility, not by a new illness or directly by Black Sabbath’s farewell concert or Ozzy Osbourne’s death. Ward said he has increasingly needed a wheelchair in public, especially in airports and at events, because although he can still walk, he cannot manage long distances without stopping to rest. He said he began using one occasionally about 18 months ago and has relied on it more often since turning 78 in May. The reason he chose to speak publicly now was transparency. In his Instagram post, Ward said he wanted fans, friends and family to understand what they might see and not misread it as retirement, serious illness or surrender. He stressed that he is “not ill or giving up,” remains an active drummer, and still has the same ambition to play. The timing, roughly a year after Black Sabbath’s July 2025 farewell show and weeks after the anniversary of Osbourne’s death, appears coincidental rather than causal. Reporting around the post points instead to Ward’s wish to get ahead of speculation as his wheelchair use became more visible. In short, Ward was addressing growing public visibility of his wheelchair use and reassuring fans that it reflects limited stamina for walking, not the end of his musical life.

Q: Bill Ward vows to 'rock until I'm dead.' What does this promise realistically mean for his future music career?

Bill Ward’s pledge to “rock until I’m dead” most realistically means he plans to keep making music and playing drums, but in a more limited, adapted way rather than through heavy touring. Ward, 78, has been clear that his growing use of a wheelchair is about mobility over long distances, especially in airports and public events, not retirement or a loss of musical ability. He says he can still walk, but not for long without resting, and insists he is still an active drummer with the same artistic drive. The practical implication is that studio work is likely to be the center of his future career. That fits with his recent output: he released *Mon Dieu* with the Bill Ward Band in 2022 and has said he has continued working on new solo material. Recording allows him to keep creating without the physical strain of full-scale travel and long live schedules. Live appearances remain possible, but probably selective. His participation in Black Sabbath’s 2025 “Back To The Beginning” farewell concert showed he can still perform in major moments, yet the end of Black Sabbath as a live act and the death of Ozzy Osbourne make any sustained reunion activity unlikely. So Ward’s promise is best understood as a commitment to remain musically active for as long as his health allows: writing, recording, and appearing when feasible, while adapting to age-related physical limits rather than stepping away from music.

3 articles · Updated · Louder · Jul 9

Bill Ward said he increasingly needs a wheelchair in airports and at public events because he cannot walk long distances without stopping to rest.
The 78-year-old said he began using the wheelchair about 18 months ago, stressing he can still walk and “can still play pretty good” on drums.
Ward said he went public to head off assumptions that he is ill, retiring or giving up music, telling fans he is “OK” and “still a drummer.”
The update comes a year after Black Sabbath’s July 5, 2025 farewell show in Birmingham and after Ward said last June that two nearly finished solo albums were in the works.