In modern music production, few have managed to traverse the divides between pop, rock, rap, punk and metal as successfully as Andrew Watt. The Grammy-winning producer and guitarist has become one of the industry’s most sought-after collaborators, working with everyone from Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga to the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Iggy Pop and Pearl Jam.
But it’s his relationship with Ozzy Osbourne that stands as among his most meaningful musical partnerships. “Ozzy and I have a connection that’s unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced,” he tells Guitar World as he prepares for the Black Sabbath star’s final performance in England.
“We made some music together that we really love, and we’ll continue making music together forever. More importantly than that, we talk every day and we’re really close friends.”
The connection that’s yielded two acclaimed albums, 2020’s Ordinary Man and 2022’s Patient Number 9, has led to Watt joining the gathering of rock and metal royalty for the Back to the Beginning concert on July 5. It serves as the final performance for both Sabbath and Ozzy himself.
The bands original lineup – Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will appear together for the first time since 2005, while support comes from Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Slayer and others.
A revolving cast of musicians including Billy Corgan, Wolfgang Van Halen, Jake E. Lee, K.K. Downing and Steven Tyler will play in various combinations throughout the night, with Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello serving as musical director.
Watt says with humility: “You look at that lineup; I’m having imposter syndrome!” But for a guitarist who grew up with Sabbath records on his father’s turntable, and went on to help create some of the biggest albums of recent years, there’s nothing impostor-like about Watt’s place on the stage.
Let’s start with Ozzy’s upcoming show. How special is it for you to be included in this event?
“It’s really amazing. For him to want me included really means he values me and the work we did, and wants it to be a part of his story. So I’m incredibly thankful to both him and Sharon.”
Do you have a sense yet of what you’ll be doing at the show?
“If I told you I’d have to kill you! From what I know, it’s gonna be a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Tom’s been kind of coordinating everything. Once we figured out what I was going to do, we’ve just kind of been rehearsing from there.”
What first drew you to Ozzy and Sabbath as a kid?
“My dad played me Paranoid – he loved Sabbath. When I started finding his records and going through his collection he’d say, ‘Me and my friends used to sit in the basement all day and listen to this.’ That story developed later to, “Me and my friends used to be so high in the basement listening to this!’”
Do you have a favorite Black Sabbath song?
“I keep finding different things I love. One song I’ve been loving lately is a song that Ozzy absolutely hates, which is so funny. I’m like, “How could you hate this song? It’s so good!” It’s Never Say Die – it sounds like Black Sabbath doing Thin Lizzy.
“I just love hearing Ozzy over that beat. Any great band changes their sound and shows you they can do anything. Sabbath is definitely one of those bands; they take it a step further on that song. Bill Ward’s just swinging.
“That said, I can’t not go back to War Pigs. I put it up against any rock song ever. I put it against any Led Zeppelin song. It’s epic!”
Earlier in your career you worked with a lot of pop artists – Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello. After you collaborated with Ozzy, that seemed to kick off a run with rock artists like Iggy Pop, Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones. Was Ozzy a turning point in your career?
When the Ozzy thing came around I was excited, but I was like, ‘These aren’t the records I really make!’
“Absolutely. Rock is something that I love – it’s the music that speaks to me the most. But as I found my way into this business, I had these gigs playing for amazing pop artists and ended up writing their songs, and that became the thing tat I was doing: making pop music that had guitar in it.
“When the Ozzy thing came around, I was so excited at the chance to do it, but also kind of doubting myself. Like, ‘These aren’t the records I really make!’ But Duff McKagan and Chad Smith, who were friends at that point, were like, ‘Come on man, you gotta make this. Of course you can do it. It’s everything you love!’
“Once we started, I kind of felt that confidence, and it became the blueprint. For the Iggy album [2023’s Every Loser], we just made music, then Iggy chose the tracks he liked and sang to them. That led me into working with Pearl Jam – they’re the best live band there is. And obviously the Stones are everyone’s favorite rock band. [Watt produced, co-wrote and played on Pearl Jam’s 2024 Dark Matter and the Stones’ Hackney Diamonds.]
“Getting to sit in the room with those guys and just record a band doing their thing, keeping it really live, became really important, and my favorite thing in the world to do. But it all started with Ozzy. He and Sharon were the first ones to believe I could make them a great rock album.”
As somebody that started out as a recording and performing musician, what led you to lean harder on the production side?
“This business is sometimes about pivoting – that’s really all it was. I found myself in a van that broke down, then riding in a tow truck to Reno, Nevada. They put on the radio in the tow truck, and one of the songs I had made was playing. I was like, ‘This is a sign, man, because this situation blows right now!’
“I thought, “I gotta follow this.’ So I went to LA and it led me right back to what I wanted to be doing and the music I want to make. That also translated back into the pop music that I make as well.
“I’m incredibly proud of the Gaga album [2025’s Mayhem]. There’s tons of guitar and live drums and live instruments all across it. It was written in a room with Gaga on piano and me on guitar, and then us producing it up after. But it was really made classically.”
Johnny Marr is always sculpting perfect parts, weaving in and out of the song, even if the song is written to what he’s playing
You play guitar on a lot of your records. What’s your approach to being able to being in these different worlds and bringing guitar to them?
“It’s not about ‘your thing.’ In the studio it’s about what’s right for the song. So many musicians blow you away live, but once they get into the studio they can’t come up with parts that will last forever.
“Being in the studio is about a great part that makes a kid want to play guitar, or something that’s accentuating rhythms or providing a good accompaniment to what’s being sung.
“That’s what leads everything – providing a groove or a good chord base for the song to do its thing, and for the message of what’s being sung to hit someone in the heart. What’s the part? It’s not just about the jam. Even the Grateful Dead had parts. It’s about finding the part.
“One of the greatest examples is Johnny Marr. Whenever he plays he has his tone and sound, but he’s always sculpting these perfect parts, weaving in and out of the song, even if the song is written to what he’s playing.”
You have a lot of guitars – which one are you bringing to the Sabbath show?
“I’m bringing a bunch of guitars! But my main one is a ‘61 Black Les Paul Custom, which is really an SG. It’s factory, and there’s only two of them. That’ll be there for sure.”
- Follow Watt on Instagram.
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