Birmingham farewells Ozzy Osbourne in style
The cortege of the singer known as the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Godfather of Heavy Metal" was driven through his home city in central England before a private funeral on Wednesday.
It stopped at a bench dedicated to the musical pioneers and Osbourne's wife Sharon and their family looked at some of the thousands of flowers and tributes left by fans.
The family waved and made peace signs to the crowd.
"Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi," some fans screamed as the hearse arrived.
Osbourne had said he did not want his funeral to be a "mope-fest" and celebration was mixed with sadness on the streets, with a New Orleans-style brass band leading the procession.
The hearse carrying Osbourne's coffin passed the star's childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, about 12.45pm on its route into Birmingham city centre.
Graham Croucher, a 58-year-old train driver from Northampton, said Osbourne was an "absolute legend".
"He was the soundtrack particularly to my life growing up," he said.
"Black Sabbath are the originators of heavy metal and made such great music. And he dared to be different because he was different."
Since Osbourne's death was announced, fans have made pilgrimages to sites around Birmingham, which has embraced its reputation as the birthplace of heavy metal.
"Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham," the Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said.
"We know how much this moment will mean to his fans."
Earlier in July, Osbourne played a final concert in the city where a star-studded line-up featuring Metallica, Slayer, Tool and Guns N' Roses paid tribute to Black Sabbath's legacy.
Black Sabbath hits Paranoid, War Pigs and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath made Osbourne a star in the early 1970s and his antics on stage, most famously biting the head off a bat, extended his fame far beyond metal music.
In 2002, he won new fans when he starred in US reality TV show The Osbournes with Sharon and two of his children, Jack and Kelly.
He died on July 22.
No cause of death was given but the star had disclosed a Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2020.
with AP and PA
Thousands of heavy metal fans have lined the streets of Birmingham for the funeral procession of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who died earlier this month aged 76.
The cortege of the singer known as the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Godfather of Heavy Metal" was driven through his home city in central England before a private funeral on Wednesday.
It stopped at a bench dedicated to the musical pioneers and Osbourne's wife Sharon and their family looked at some of the thousands of flowers and tributes left by fans.
The family waved and made peace signs to the crowd.
"Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi," some fans screamed as the hearse arrived.
Osbourne had said he did not want his funeral to be a "mope-fest" and celebration was mixed with sadness on the streets, with a New Orleans-style brass band leading the procession.
The hearse carrying Osbourne's coffin passed the star's childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, about 12.45pm on its route into Birmingham city centre.
Graham Croucher, a 58-year-old train driver from Northampton, said Osbourne was an "absolute legend".
"He was the soundtrack particularly to my life growing up," he said.
"Black Sabbath are the originators of heavy metal and made such great music. And he dared to be different because he was different."
Since Osbourne's death was announced, fans have made pilgrimages to sites around Birmingham, which has embraced its reputation as the birthplace of heavy metal.
"Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham," the Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said.
"We know how much this moment will mean to his fans."
Earlier in July, Osbourne played a final concert in the city where a star-studded line-up featuring Metallica, Slayer, Tool and Guns N' Roses paid tribute to Black Sabbath's legacy.
Black Sabbath hits Paranoid, War Pigs and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath made Osbourne a star in the early 1970s and his antics on stage, most famously biting the head off a bat, extended his fame far beyond metal music.
In 2002, he won new fans when he starred in US reality TV show The Osbournes with Sharon and two of his children, Jack and Kelly.
He died on July 22.
No cause of death was given but the star had disclosed a Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2020.
with AP and PA
Thousands of heavy metal fans have lined the streets of Birmingham for the funeral procession of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who died earlier this month aged 76.
The cortege of the singer known as the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Godfather of Heavy Metal" was driven through his home city in central England before a private funeral on Wednesday.
It stopped at a bench dedicated to the musical pioneers and Osbourne's wife Sharon and their family looked at some of the thousands of flowers and tributes left by fans.
The family waved and made peace signs to the crowd.
"Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi," some fans screamed as the hearse arrived.
Osbourne had said he did not want his funeral to be a "mope-fest" and celebration was mixed with sadness on the streets, with a New Orleans-style brass band leading the procession.
The hearse carrying Osbourne's coffin passed the star's childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, about 12.45pm on its route into Birmingham city centre.
Graham Croucher, a 58-year-old train driver from Northampton, said Osbourne was an "absolute legend".
"He was the soundtrack particularly to my life growing up," he said.
"Black Sabbath are the originators of heavy metal and made such great music. And he dared to be different because he was different."
Since Osbourne's death was announced, fans have made pilgrimages to sites around Birmingham, which has embraced its reputation as the birthplace of heavy metal.
"Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham," the Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said.
"We know how much this moment will mean to his fans."
Earlier in July, Osbourne played a final concert in the city where a star-studded line-up featuring Metallica, Slayer, Tool and Guns N' Roses paid tribute to Black Sabbath's legacy.
Black Sabbath hits Paranoid, War Pigs and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath made Osbourne a star in the early 1970s and his antics on stage, most famously biting the head off a bat, extended his fame far beyond metal music.
In 2002, he won new fans when he starred in US reality TV show The Osbournes with Sharon and two of his children, Jack and Kelly.
He died on July 22.
No cause of death was given but the star had disclosed a Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2020.
with AP and PA
Thousands of heavy metal fans have lined the streets of Birmingham for the funeral procession of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who died earlier this month aged 76.
The cortege of the singer known as the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Godfather of Heavy Metal" was driven through his home city in central England before a private funeral on Wednesday.
It stopped at a bench dedicated to the musical pioneers and Osbourne's wife Sharon and their family looked at some of the thousands of flowers and tributes left by fans.
The family waved and made peace signs to the crowd.
"Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi," some fans screamed as the hearse arrived.
Osbourne had said he did not want his funeral to be a "mope-fest" and celebration was mixed with sadness on the streets, with a New Orleans-style brass band leading the procession.
The hearse carrying Osbourne's coffin passed the star's childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, about 12.45pm on its route into Birmingham city centre.
Graham Croucher, a 58-year-old train driver from Northampton, said Osbourne was an "absolute legend".
"He was the soundtrack particularly to my life growing up," he said.
"Black Sabbath are the originators of heavy metal and made such great music. And he dared to be different because he was different."
Since Osbourne's death was announced, fans have made pilgrimages to sites around Birmingham, which has embraced its reputation as the birthplace of heavy metal.
"Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham," the Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said.
"We know how much this moment will mean to his fans."
Earlier in July, Osbourne played a final concert in the city where a star-studded line-up featuring Metallica, Slayer, Tool and Guns N' Roses paid tribute to Black Sabbath's legacy.
Black Sabbath hits Paranoid, War Pigs and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath made Osbourne a star in the early 1970s and his antics on stage, most famously biting the head off a bat, extended his fame far beyond metal music.
In 2002, he won new fans when he starred in US reality TV show The Osbournes with Sharon and two of his children, Jack and Kelly.
He died on July 22.
No cause of death was given but the star had disclosed a Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2020.
with AP and PA
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"We know fans will continue to pay their respects at the Black Sabbath Bridge and the mural on Navigation Street, as well as visiting the Ozzy exhibition." Ozzy Osbourne tried to trademark his Prince of Darkness nickname before he died. The 76-year-old rocker passed away at his home in England on July 22, just weeks after his final Black Sabbath gig. He filed documents to trademark his nickname on June 13. According to The Sun newspaper, his UK-based firm Monowise sent the application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for "entertainment services, namely providing non-downloadable pre-recorded music via a website". The company also sought trademark protection to sell clothes, games and accessories. A ruling has yet to be made, although a similar claim was passed previously in the UK. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that tributes left for Ozzy in his home city of Birmingham are to be taken down and given to his family. Fans had flocked to the city to pay their respects to Ozzy as flowers, keepsake items and handwritten notes were left at Black Sabbath Bridge - a spot that marks the Paranoid band's formation. The council said that the tributes will be preserved at a secure location before being passed on to Ozzy's loved ones. Ozzy's family viewed the tributes during his funeral procession in the city and said they were "deeply moved" by the affection the public had for the Prince of Darkness - who had played his final gig with Black Sabbath at Birmingham's Villa Park stadium just 17 days prior to his death. A statement read: "We are deeply moved by the heartfelt tributes that have been placed at the Black Sabbath Bridge and at the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street in recent days. "These expressions of remembrance reflect the profound impact that Ozzy had on the city and its people, as well as fans from around the world - BIRMINGHAM FOREVER!" Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said: "We understand how important it is for the community to have a space to grieve and celebrate Ozzy's legacy. "We know fans will continue to pay their respects at the Black Sabbath Bridge and the mural on Navigation Street, as well as visiting the Ozzy exhibition." Ozzy Osbourne tried to trademark his Prince of Darkness nickname before he died. The 76-year-old rocker passed away at his home in England on July 22, just weeks after his final Black Sabbath gig. He filed documents to trademark his nickname on June 13. According to The Sun newspaper, his UK-based firm Monowise sent the application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for "entertainment services, namely providing non-downloadable pre-recorded music via a website". The company also sought trademark protection to sell clothes, games and accessories. A ruling has yet to be made, although a similar claim was passed previously in the UK. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that tributes left for Ozzy in his home city of Birmingham are to be taken down and given to his family. Fans had flocked to the city to pay their respects to Ozzy as flowers, keepsake items and handwritten notes were left at Black Sabbath Bridge - a spot that marks the Paranoid band's formation. The council said that the tributes will be preserved at a secure location before being passed on to Ozzy's loved ones. Ozzy's family viewed the tributes during his funeral procession in the city and said they were "deeply moved" by the affection the public had for the Prince of Darkness - who had played his final gig with Black Sabbath at Birmingham's Villa Park stadium just 17 days prior to his death. A statement read: "We are deeply moved by the heartfelt tributes that have been placed at the Black Sabbath Bridge and at the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street in recent days. "These expressions of remembrance reflect the profound impact that Ozzy had on the city and its people, as well as fans from around the world - BIRMINGHAM FOREVER!" Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said: "We understand how important it is for the community to have a space to grieve and celebrate Ozzy's legacy. "We know fans will continue to pay their respects at the Black Sabbath Bridge and the mural on Navigation Street, as well as visiting the Ozzy exhibition."
