Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward is opening up to fans about a major change in his life, revealing that he now mostly uses a wheelchair when he is out in public.
Ward, 78, shared the update in an emotional Instagram post, nearly a year after the death of his Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne. The legendary musician explained that he wanted to be honest with fans about what they may notice if they see him at an airport, event or out in the world.
“Sadly, but nonetheless truthfully,” Ward wrote, he is still able to walk, but no longer for long distances without needing to stop and rest.
“I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can’t walk very far without needing to rest,” he told fans.
Ward also revealed that he has been using a wheelchair in airports for the past 18 months. Along with the message, he shared a photo of himself using the mobility device, making it clear that he wanted people to hear the news directly from him.
But Ward was also quick to stress that this does not mean he is stepping away from music, giving up, or seeing himself as finished.
“I’m not in retirement or ill or giving up,” he wrote.
The founding Black Sabbath member made it clear that his love for drumming is still very much alive.
“I’m still a drummer,” Ward said, adding that he plans to “keep rocking until I’m dead.”
Ward also encouraged fans not to feel awkward if they see him using a wheelchair in public. Instead, he invited them to come say hello.
“I don’t bite, I’ll just look different,” he wrote.
Ward is best known as the original drummer and a founding member of Black Sabbath, the legendary heavy metal band that helped shape the sound of rock music for generations. His update was vulnerable, honest and full of the same grit that has defined his long career.