The 74-year-old rock star - who suffers from Parkinson's Disease - was forced to pull out of his UK and European tour with Judas Priest on Wednesday (01.02.23) because he is "not physically capable" of the travelling required to complete the run but has now insisted that his "ultimate goal" is to start performing again so he can connect with his fans once more.
He said: "My fans. That's the thing that I really miss about not doing gigs. I'm a hands-on guy. I like talking to my fans. I miss them terribly. My goal is to get back on stage as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, the Black Sabbath star currently lives in LA with his wife Sharon but is making plans to return to their native Britain and believes that their children Jack, 37, and 38-year-old Kelly - who both recently welcomed children with their partners - could also make the move back at some point.
He told Billboard: "Our kids are over here [in America] at the moment, but it wouldn't surprise me if they follow us back at some point. Kelly's just had a little baby boy, Jack's had a little baby girl, so all our grandchildren, we've got like five grandchildren now."
The 'Crazy Train' rocker took to social media just days ago to address his fans in what he called the "hardest thing" he has ever had to share with him and thanked them for their "loyalty" over the years as he continues to battle with his health.
He said: "This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans. As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine. My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.
"I am honestly humbled by the way you’ve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realisation that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required. Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really F**** ME UP, more than you will ever know.
"My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country."
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Thanks to modern technologies, you and more people are reading the Watauga Democrat than ever before. Freedom of the press is essential to preserving democracy: But a free press isn't free. It takes significant resources for Mountain Times Publications' 8 full-time journalists and editors to provide credible, fact-based and ethical journalism in the High Country. So, we are asking you to join our advertisers and print subscribers in supporting local journalism with your dollar. Your financial support will help sustain these services that you use to inform your decisions and engage with your community.
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