Ozzy Osbourne says only death will stop him from performing.

The 71-year-old rocker - who is battling Parkinson's disease - has no plans to retire and says he will work to the grave.

He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: ''You know the time when I will retire? When I can hear them nail a lid on my box. And then I'll f****** do an encore. I'm the Prince of Darkness.''

And Ozzy called performing for his fans ''the best love affair of my life''.

He said: ''When you feel that audience jumping, it's a better feeling than orgasm. It is the best love affair of my life.''

Ozzy went public with his Parkinson's diagnosis in January but insisted it will not stop him from touring.

He said: ''Well the one questions from me was, 'Is it a terminal illness?', and the guy says, 'No, but life is'.

''It's just another thing on my plate I have got to deal with. I'm not in the slightest worried about it.

''I've not got any secrets. The initial shock is I've got Parkinson's. Nobody knows what the f*** it is. I didn't know anything about it apart from the name.''

And Ozzy poked fun at musician Sting as he joked his life could be worse.

He said: ''To be Ozzy Osbourne it could be worse... I could be Sting.''