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Ozzy Osbourne's fond send-off was the least depressing thing on the news

Ozzy Osbourne's fond send-off was the least depressing thing on the news

Irish Times4 days ago
'Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy,' the crowds chanted as
Ozzy Osbourne
's funeral cortege paused at Black Sabbath Bridge, in his home city of Birmingham, and his widow and children laid their own flowers amid the amassed bouquets, fan-sketched portraits, customised football scarves and bat-shaped balloons.
Amid the litany of abject grimness otherwise known as just another summer news bulletin, it was heavy-metal fans who provided the unity and warmth of spirit. Through tears, Sharon Osbourne, the singer's wife, flashed them a peace sign; their daughter Kelly waved to onlookers.
The Black Sabbath frontman said he wanted his funeral to be a celebration, not a 'mope-fest', and though the ceremony itself was private, the procession lived up to his desired billing, with the hearse preceded by a local brass band playing Sabbath tunes and the gathered thousands chipping in both reverent vocals and swells of raucous appreciation.
'That was worse than the queen, that was,' one male fan reckoning with his emotions told the BBC. Television coverage of this public homage to the 'Prince of Darkness' did indeed have the touch of a royal event about it, with reporters vox-popping fans about what Ozzy meant to them and why they had come.
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The difference was that John Michael Osbourne, possessing no birthright whatsoever, had actually moved culture along in his time, and this was a day laced with humour, relatability and grit. Love for Ozzy was not only wrapped in municipal pride but also inseparable from the reassuring sense of belonging that being a fan of certain bands or genres of music gives people – or used to, at least.
Watching this salute, I was struck by the feeling that we are close to the start of what is likely to be an inverted U-shaped graph of music-superstar send-offs, ones where people are given the chance to pay mass tribute to shared idols. There's definitely more to come, a lot more.
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Interviewing Ozzy Osbourne: 'You can't live that way forever. It catches up with you eventually'
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]
I remember thinking during the
televised funeral of Shane MacGowan
– complete with the church rendition of Fairytale of New York by a supergroup of musical luminaries – in December 2023 that this was a gloriously new benchmark, one that the families of other artists would be inspired to replicate when the time comes.
But once all the icons whose careers thrived in more culturally finite times are gone, then what?
It's not that you need a monolithic music scene or analogue broadcasting industry for moments of cohesion like these. Heavy metal was always much marginalised by the media. But you do need a world that hasn't fallen victim to the dead hand of tech platforms that simultaneously flatten out music culture and fragment it to the point where its role in identity formation is now much less potent than before.
'Is Gen X dying before our eyes?' the Hollywood Reporter
wondered
last week. Before our eyes! I hope not. (Osbourne himself, born in 1948, predates it.) Still, despite the Black Mirror-ish image this headline conjured up, the article wasn't wrong when it cited the death of Kurt Cobain, in April 1994, as the defining event for a generation characterised in youth as disaffected and doom-filled.
Shown on MTV News throughout that year as mourning snowballed, footage from the Seattle vigil for the Nirvana singer burned on my teenage brain. I'd never heard anything as raw in my life as Courtney Love's taped message to fans, in which she read out part of her husband's suicide note while simultaneously railing against its most dangerous assertions.
Preserved on YouTube
, the stunned silence of the crowd remains palpable, and – whether it was a wise thing to do or not – you can almost see Cobain's legacy embedding itself in the cultural soil in real time.
When we're let into someone else's shock and pain like this, it alters our relationship with celebrity. Expectations change. MTV, by then already pioneering the reality genre with The Real World, played its part in shifting fan culture away from one of distant, unknowable icons into something messier, more open, more confessional.
Ozzy Osbourne funeral: a street artist adds to a Black Sabbath mural in Birmingham. Photograph: Joanna Yee/New York Times
It was later the home of The Osbournes, of course, which is the unrepeatable facet of Ozzy's story: here was a musician who built his base in a finite, terrestrial landscape, achieved a new style of fame via a cable-TV megahit and died in the era of social media and live streaming.
For devotees beyond Birmingham, there was a link to follow the procession as it passed Black Sabbath Bridge. This yielded hunger for more access, with some YouTube commenters disappointed that it turned out to be a fixed street camera with no sound – they were advised to consult fan-made videos instead.
Even without comparable hometown-hero status, waves of household-name artists whose careers straddled similar eras are on track to receive huge, internet-fuelled public goodbyes, in which pure admiration mingles with personal nostalgia and sentiment. But will any of them be as uplifting and uncomplicated and fond as Ozzy Osbourne's? That seems more doubtful.
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Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death released days after Black Sabbath star's funeral
Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death released days after Black Sabbath star's funeral

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  • Irish Independent

Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death released days after Black Sabbath star's funeral

The Black Sabbath frontman, whose funeral involved a procession through his hometown of Birmingham, died aged 76 on 22 July – shortly after playing his final concert at Villa Park. He suffered a string of health issues over the years, mostly related to neck injuries sustained in a 2003 quad-biking accident, which were later exacerbated by a fall in 2019. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease that same year, and also endured a bout of Covid. The New York Times now reports that the rocker's official death certificate lists his cause of death as 'acute myocardial infarction' – typically meaning the death of tissue resulting from a failure of blood supply to an organ – and 'out of hospital cardiac arrest', or heart attack. The certificate also listed coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction as 'joint causes' of death. Submitted by Osbourne's daughter Aimée Osbourne, the document noted his occupation as 'Songwriter, Performer and Rock Legend.' On the day of the musician's death, an air ambulance flew to his family home near the village of Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire, the publication reports. A spokesperson for Thames Valley Air Ambulance service said that its team had been 'dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfront St Giles on 22 July', but gave no further details. Representatives of Osbourne's estate have been contacted for comment. Thousands of fans lined the streets of Birmingham to bid a final farewell to the self-styled 'Prince of Darkness', whose band are widely credited with creating heavy metal. The hearse carrying the musician made its way from his childhood home in Aston to Broad Street, pausing next to the Black Sabbath bench and bridge where his family were able to lay flowers and read some of the many tributes left by fans. ADVERTISEMENT In one particularly emotional moment, his wife Sharon Osbourne (72), wiped away tears before kissing her own flower and placing it beside a poster that read: 'Birmingham will always love you.' Despite his many health issues in later years, Osbourne remained active well into his seventies. He was reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for their final album, 13, in 2013. Meanwhile, he released a final solo album, 2022's Patient Zero, with help from fellow stars including Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton, and the late Jeff Beck and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. It went on to win the 2023 Grammy for Best Rock Album. In his final years, the musician spoke often of his determination to get back on stage one last time. His wish was granted at Villa Park, where he and the other founding members of Black Sabbath were joined by some of the biggest names in rock and metal, including Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Tom Morello, Tool and Alice in Chains. 'It's so good to be on this f***ing stage, you have no idea', Osbourne told the audience.

Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death confirmed two weeks after death of music icon
Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death confirmed two weeks after death of music icon

Irish Daily Mirror

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  • Irish Daily Mirror

Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death confirmed two weeks after death of music icon

Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death has been revealed. The Black Sabbath legend died on July 22, aged 76, surrounded by his wife Sharon and his children. In recent years, Ozzy had been battling ill health, which he had spoken publicly about, but he had been determined to make it to Villa Park in Birmingham for his final performance just days before he died. His death certificate states that the Prince of Darkness died following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction (joint causes), reports The Mirror. An acute myocardial infarction occurs when the blood flow to the heart is blocked, often by a blood clot, causing damage to the muscles of the heart. Symptoms include pain in the chest, including pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing, pain in other parts of the body, including the arm, jaw, neck, back and stomach, lightheadedness, sweating, shortness of breath and feeling sick. The update comes just days after Ozzy was laid to rest during a private burial on the Osbourne family estate in Buckinghamshire. But before the private family occasion, the Osbournes put on a united front and headed to Ozzy's hometown of Birmingham, where thousands of fans had gathered on the streets to pay their respects. Broad Street, where there is a Black Sabbath bridge and bench, was adorned by flowers, with fans sobbing as Ozzy's coffin drove down the street. BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JULY 30: (L-R) Jack Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne arrive to view tributes to the late Ozzy Osbourne from fans as his funeral cortege travels through his home city of Birmingham Sharon, Aimee, Kelly, Jack and Ozzy's son from a previous marriage, Louis, joined fans in mourning as they emotionally laid their own floral tributes for one of the greatest musicians of his time. Confirming that Ozzy had died last month, a statement from the family read: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis." Speaking of his final performance, Ozzy's Black Sabbath bandmate, Geezer Butler, said the music icon was "frail" but "thrilled" to be able to perform for his fans, who had stood by him throughout his career. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week

Brilliant job title listed on Ozzy Osbourne's death certificate is revealed after star suffered massive heart attack
Brilliant job title listed on Ozzy Osbourne's death certificate is revealed after star suffered massive heart attack

The Irish Sun

time3 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Brilliant job title listed on Ozzy Osbourne's death certificate is revealed after star suffered massive heart attack

The document also list the rock legend's official cause of death RIP OZZY Brilliant job title listed on Ozzy Osbourne's death certificate is revealed after star suffered massive heart attack OZZY Osbourne's brilliant job title has been revealed on his death certificate. The 'Prince of Darkness' was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019 and died at the age of 76 on July 22, surrounded by his family. Advertisement 1 Ozzy Osbourne's brilliant job title has been revealed on his death certificate Credit: Ross Halfin His official death certificate described his occupation as a "rock legend, songwriter and performer" in a heart-warming nod towards Ozzy. In recent years, Ozzy had been battling numerous health conditions, including Parkinson's. The document lists "acute myocardial infarction" and "out of hospital cardiac arrest" under the cause of death section. It also records coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction as "joint causes" of Ozzy's death. Advertisement Ozzy's tragic passing comes just weeks after his final performance in his home town - where it all began. The rocker sang five songs in his own set, with fans waving torches from their phones during Mama, I'm Coming Home. He finished his performance with Crazy Train, before confetti rained over a packed Villa Park. After a short break, Ozzy re-entered the stage to join the rest of Black Sabbath for the first time in 20 years. Advertisement The band performed some of their greatest hits, ending with a rendition of Paranoid. In his last ever interview, the heavy metal icon said his "final encore" meant "everything". Marilyn Manson and Slipknot lead who's who of rock at Ozzy Osbourne's funeral Ozzy sang with his fellow founding fathers of heavy metal while seated on an iconic black bat throne. It was the first time in two decades that the original Black Sabbath line-up have performed together. Advertisement Ozzy had previously vowed that it would be his final performance due to his deteriorating health, having opened up about his battle with Parkinson's in 2020. Back To The Beginning also featured a mega line-up of fellow rock stars, performing their own sets and as a super-group, and all the profits made will be going to charity. In another poignant twist, Ozzy's daughter Kelly Osbourne got engaged to her boyfriend Sid Wilson at the veteran rocker's final concert. Last Thursday, an "incredibly emotional" funeral service was held for the rocker, a family friend told The Sun. Advertisement Tents were erected on the 250-acre grounds of the house Ozzy and Sharon bought in 1993, along with a stage where tributes were paid to the rocker. The home was decorated with pictures of Ozzy, and mourners were given a photograph of him to take home. 110 of the singer's nearest and dearest attended, joining his wife Sharon and his children Jack, 39, Kelly, 40, Aimee, 41, and Louis, 50, his son from his first marriage to Thelma Riley. Stars at the service included Ozzy's Black Sabbath bandmates, Metallica's James Hetfield, punk singer Yungblud and Sir Elton John. Advertisement Rock icon Marilyn Manson flew in from the US to attend, alongside Ozzy's guitarist Zakk Wylde and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor. The day before, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy.

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