‘Ozzy Osbourne was the best of us': Thousands turn out in Birmingham to bid farewell to the prince of darkness
Ozzy Osbourne's funeral procession brought Birmingham to a standstill on Wednesday as admirers from across generations gathered to bid farewell to one of its most iconic sons.
The hearse carrying the 76-year-old legend made its way from his childhood home in Aston to Broad Street, where fans lined the route shoulder to shoulder, some having waited through the night to bid farewell to their hero.
Among them was Simon Hall, 57, wearing a thick leather jacket imprinted with Black Sabbath logos and record signs. 'He was a working class hero,' he said. 'He represented the best of us and the worst of us in so many ways. The best thing about Ozzy is his humility, his honesty, the fact that he's flawed like all of us and yet he did it all with an elfish smile and a cheeky grin.'
Some of his most dedicated fans had gathered early along Broad Street with their camping chairs to nab a prime spot. By 8am, this number had reached in the hundreds with the popular nightclubbing street rammed with the number reaching in the tens of thousands by midday.
So eager were many to glimpse the cortege that several climbed atop bus stops, shop roofs and even lampposts to wave a final farewell.
Another who had travelled to pay tribute was Roy Brown-Lowe, 64, accompanied by his dog Bruce – temporarily renamed 'Doggy Osbourne' for the occasion, complete with wig and sunglasses. 'Ozzy Osbourne is Birmingham,' Mr Brown-Lowe said. 'Birmingham loves Ozzy and Ozzy loved Birmingham.'
Adorned with purple flowers spelling out 'Ozzy', the hearse passed his childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, at 12.45pm before heading toward the city centre. The procession was accompanied by local brass band Bostin Brass, playing some of his most iconic music to the delight of onlookers. As the coffin moved slowly through the streets, fans chanted 'Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy', raised black spray-painted roses and blew kisses in tribute.
In one of the day's most emotional moments, Sharon Osbourne, 72, and the couple's children left their Mercedes funeral cars to view the sea of tributes left at the Black Sabbath bench. Each carrying a pink rose, they stood quietly as Sharon wiped away tears before kissing her own flower and placing it beside a poster that read: 'Birmingham will always love you.'
For Jane Ashford, 57, the occasion was both a celebration and deeply emotional. 'It is the reality that he is gone,' she said. 'But his legend and everything that he represents for Birmingham and the rock world will always represent the rock movement. I am so so proud.'
Lucy Nicholson, 37, had sat outside Villa Park just weeks earlier after being unable to get tickets for Black Sabbath's final concert. 'Emotional,' she said of the funeral. 'It's lovely to see all ages here, fans from the very beginning and new fans. It's the final farewell.'
Among the younger generation paying tribute were aspiring heavy metal musicians Callum Parkins, 19, his brother Finlay, 15, and friend Ethan Farmer, also 15. 'I've been a fan as long as I've been alive,' said Callum. 'My earliest memories are of being in my mum and dad's car listening to his music on CDs. Ozzy has been a huge inspiration to me all my life.'
Having now inspired them to start their own rock band, Ethan said: "He's done everything for us. We are in a heavy metal band and it's Black Sabbath that inspired us. I didn't get to see him alive but I wanted to see him off.
They were far from alone. Louise Blackburn, 46, brought her 13-year-old son Samuel to pay their respects as a family. The two had attended the Back to Beginning concert earlier this month – a particularly poignant moment for her, following the death of her brother, a fellow superfan, last year.
'Ozzy Osbourne is a fantastic figurehead for the city,' she said. 'Wherever he went he always stayed the same.'
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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
How Ozzy Osbourne's protegee Yungblud gave a touching reading at star-studded funeral - as he reveals the gift rocker gave him before he died
Ozzy Osbourne's protégée Yungblud has shared a picture of the gift the rocker gave him before he died, hours after he gave a reading at the funeral at his home in Buckinghamshire. The English singer-songwriter had a very strong relationship with Ozzy, who he first met in 2022, and it appeared that their relationship grew into an almost father-son type bond. Yungblud, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, reportedly gave a touching reading at The Black Sabbath frontman's funeral on Thursday, after his death aged 76 on July 22. Following the emotional day, the 27-year-old singer took to Instagram to share a close-up snap of the cross necklace Ozzy gifted him in 2022, during the filming of his The Funeral music video. Yungblud later returned the favor by gifting Ozzy a custom-made cross necklace before Black Sabbath's final show at Villa Park in Birmingham. He wrote in the caption: 'goodnight oz. your light will forever shine. I love you,' with fans noting in the caption that Ozzy has 'passed the torch of darkness on' to Yungblud. He wrote in the caption: 'goodnight oz. your light will forever shine. I love you.' Yungblud previously revealed that the gift from Ozzy is the 'most precious thing' as he paid a 'truly heartbroken' tribute to the rocker. The singer performed Changes at Black Sabbath's final concert and has vowed to play it for Ozzy going forward. Rock legend Ozzy was buried in the grounds of his own mansion in Buckinghamshire - as he had said he desired. His widow Sharon, 72, and their children were joined by heavy rock royalty at the event at the family's home near Gerrards Cross, where he was being laid to rest near a lake at the heart of the sprawling 250-acre estate. Marilyn Manson led the stars arriving at Ozzy 's private funeral as the heavy metal icon was laid to rest. Following the funeral Marilyn took to Instagram as he penned: 'Today we laid to rest a beloved friend. I am eternally grateful that you let me into your life Ozzy. 'Your inspiration and love will always be with me. Thank you Sharon and family for a reverent, beautiful ceremony. Your legacy lives on.' Guests also included Manson's wife Lindsay Usich and Ozzy's lead guitarist Zakk Wylde. fans noting in the caption that Ozzy has 'passed the torch of darkness on' to Yungblud And in true Ozzy fashion, stars arrived in gothic and heavy metal attire, with Rob Zombie donning skulls on a black scarf while Manson wore a long black jacket. A huge floral tribute in the grounds of the mansion spells out an affectionate tribute to the heavy metal legend, with the words, 'OZZY F***ING OSBOURNE', on the banks of the Osbourne lake. A version of a floral 'Ozzy' tribute that featured at yesterday's memorial procession was also placed atop a fountain. The events follow a funeral procession attended by thousands of fans through Birmingham city centre on Wednesday. Ozzy's widow Sharon, 72, was supported by their children Jack, Kelly and Aimee who laid floral tributes and made a peace sign as they gestured their gratitude to fans - while accompanied by Ozzy's son Louis from his first marriage to Thelma Riley. Floral tributes to the rock star first displayed at the public memorial in Birmingham yesterday were on show for the intimate farewell. Goodwill messages have continued to pour in for Osbourne, who died aged 76 last week - and had spoken in the past about his wishes for a lack of funeral fuss. Speaking in 2011 about how he imagined his future send-off, the Black Sabbath legend said : 'I honestly don't care what they play at my funeral - they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and 'We Are The Diddymen' if it makes 'em happy. But I do want to make sure it's a celebration, not a mope-fest.' The funeral cortege yesterday was led by a live brass band, Bostin' Brass, who performed versions of Black Sabbath songs such as Iron Man, as thousands of tearful devotees lined the streets and sang along in Ozzy's memory. Today, marquees and a music stage had been erected next to pond where the private tributes were paid at his home. Guests were seated under huge awnings due to the rain showers that had fallen earlier in the day - while catering facilities, with their own generators, were provided in the garden. A huge security operation was in place from early this morning to ensure the ceremony was strictly invitation only, in accordance with widow Sharon's wishes. A team of bodyguards and private security dog handlers patrolled the perimeter of the estate and traffic marshals directed traffic through the narrow country lane leading to the Osbourne estate. However, diehard fans did leave flowers outside the gates to their rock idol. Ozzy had spoken in 2011 about his funeral intentions, telling the Times: ' I want to make sure it's a celebration, not a mope-fest. 'I'd also like some pranks - maybe the sound of knocking inside the coffin, or a video of me asking my doctor for a second opinion on his diagnosis of 'death'. 'There'll be no harping on the bad times. It's worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives. 'So by any measure, most of us in this country - especially rock stars like me - are very lucky. That's why I don't want my funeral to be sad - I want it to be a time to say, "Thanks".' And he wrote in his autobiography I Am Ozzy, published in 2010: 'Eventually death will come, like it comes to everyone. 'I've said to Sharon: 'Don't cremate me, whatever you do.' I want to be put in the ground, in a nice garden somewhere, with a tree planted over my head. 'A crabapple tree, preferably, so the kids can make wine out of me and get p***ed out of their heads. 'As for what they'll put on my headstone, I ain't under any illusions. If I close my eyes, I can already see it. Ozzy Osbourne, born 1948. Died, whenever. He bit the head off a bat.' As things have transpired, huge crowds gathered along the route hours in advance of Wednesday's 1pm start to pay their respects to the Prince of Darkness whose hits included Paranoid and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. The hearse carrying the singer's coffin - adorned with purple flowers spelling out 'Ozzy' - had passed the star's childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, shortly after midday. Flowers had been placed outside the terraced property, close to Villa Park while the owners of the house put up a picture of Osbourne in the front bay window. The Jaguar hearse and six Mercedes funeral cars, accompanied by police motorcycle riders and a police car, drove slowly along the street watched by a handful of fans and the current owner of the house. Thousands of people were pictured taking their places not only on Black Sabbath Bridge but along the city centre route along which his cortege travelled towards the Black Sabbath Bridge bench. Elsewhere in London, the Coldstream Guards payed tribute to the heavy metal legend at the changing of the guard by performing their own rendition of his hit-song Paranoid. Fans have left heartfelt messages and floral tributes around the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street in recent days to honour the heavy metal star who was born in the Aston area of Birmingham. Members of the public have also signed a book of condolences, opened by Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery, which is currently holding an exhibition titled Ozzy Osbourne (1948-2025): Working Class Hero. While organising the procession, Birmingham City Council collaborated with the Osbourne family, who funded all of the associated costs. Ahead of today's follow-up service, the Sun quoted a source as saying: 'Singer Yungblud, who became close with Ozzy in recent years, is going to give a reading. 'His Sabbath bandmates, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler, will be there, along with James Hetfield from Metallica. 'Elton John is also hoping to join the family at the church. 'Sharon and his family have been so touched by messages they received not only from Ozzy's friends, but also his fans around the world.' Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates - Butler with the nickname 'Geezer', Iommi and Ward - were recently given the freedom of the city of Birmingham, which recognises people's exceptional service to the city. The group, which formed in 1968, are widely credited with defining and popularising the sound of heavy metal. Osbourne, who also had a successful solo career, found a new legion of fans when he appeared in the noughties reality TV series The Osbournes, starring alongside his wife Sharon and two youngest children, Kelly and Jack. The music star, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, performed his last gig on July 5 in a concert that also saw performances from the likes of Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N' Roses. Ozzy took to the stage for his farewell concert at Villa Park stadium in his native Birmingham less than three weeks before his death - reuniting with his original Black Sabbath bandmates for the first time since 2005. More than 42,000 fans packed into the venue for the Back To The Beginning show, during which he told the crowd in his final speech: 'You've no idea how I feel - thank you from the bottom of my heart.' A message on screen then read: 'Thank you for everything, you guys are f***ing amazing. Birmingham Forever,' before the sky lit up with fireworks. He had told of it being his last performance due to his health, having opened up about his battle with Parkinson's in 2020. In a statement shared last Tuesday, Ozzy's family said he died 'surrounded by love' , adding: '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 is survived by his wife Sharon and his five children Jessica, Louis, Aimee, Kelly and Jack. Daily Mail revealed last Wednesday that an air ambulance was called to Osbourne's grand country home as paramedics battled to save his life for two hours. Friends told the Mail's Alison Boshoff that his heartbroken wife Sharon was considering now burying Ozzy in the gardens of the 350-acre estate in an intimate family funeral. Ozzy was born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, and dropped out of school at the age of 15. After serving two months in prison for burglary, he decided to pursue his love of music. By 1970, Black Sabbath - originally going by the name of Earth - had gained a huge following in the US and UK with the release of their first album. Ozzy quit the band in 1978 and four years later divorced his first wife Thelma Mayfair, with whom he had two children, amid his ongoing substance abuse problems. He went on to marry second wife Sharon, who helped him transform into a successful solo artist and the couple had three children together. Ozzy gained a whole new audience of fans with the family's reality TV show The Osbournes in 2001.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
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Ozzy Osbourne ‘buried near bat boxes' put in trees on Bucks estate for the animals to thrive
It pays tribute to one of the most talked-about moments in his career FINAL RESTING PLACE Ozzy Osbourne 'buried near bat boxes' put in trees on Bucks estate for the animals to thrive Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OZZY Osbourne has been buried near bat boxes and a family friend said it feels "like Ozzy had the last laugh'. The Black Sabbath legend, who died on July 22 at the age of 76, was laid to rest next to the lake in his Buckinghamshire home on Thursday. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 8 Ozzy has been laid to rest on his Buckinghamshire estate Credit: Getty 8 The gated residence is tucked away in the countryside Credit: mancpicss66 / Aaron Parfitt 8 The prince of darkness was buried on Thursday Credit: Getty - Contributor A family friend told the Mirror: 'This was like a classic Ozzy move. The man loved humour and this sure would have tickled him pink knowing how close friends reacted to this bat situation. 'After all those decades caught up in this drama around bats and animal rights groups, here at his final resting place there are bespoke bat boxes to help encourage the animals thrive in the UK countryside. "It has prompted quite a few laughs and funny reactions. It is just like Ozzy had the last laugh.' One of the most controversial moments of the heavy metal singer's career came in January 1982, when he famously bit the head off a bat on stage. Something small and black landed near him on stage during a show at Des Moines' Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Believing it was a rubber toy, Ozzy picked it up and bit into it. In his 2010 autobiography I Am Ozzy, he wrote: "Somebody threw a bat. I just thought it was a rubber bat. And I picked it up and put it in my mouth. I bit into it. Immediately, he continued, "something felt wrong. Very wrong". Ozzy said he deeply regretted the incident as he had to have daily rabies shots for months. It remains unclear whether the bat was alive or dead - in a 2006 interview with the BBC, Ozzy described it as a 'dead real bat'. Tearful Sharon Osbourne reads fans' touching tributes to beloved husband Ozzy as she joins family at funeral procession Buckinghamshire - home to many brown long-eared and pipistrelle bats - has recently taken steps to improve bat conservation. On Thursday, an "incredibly emotional" funeral service was held for the rocker, a family friend told The Sun. 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. 8 Sharon wore Ozzy's ring on a chain around her neck at the procession on Wednesday Credit: Splash 8 Sharon read tributes alongside daughter Kelly Credit: i-Images 8 Zakk Wylde and Marilyn Manson attended the funeral on Thursday Credit: Splash 8 Ozzy's name was displayed with pink flowers at his funeral cortege Credit: Alamy 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. Rock icon Marilyn Manson flew in from the US to attend, alongside Ozzy's guitarist Zakk Wylde and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor. The family friend said: 'Everyone at the service just wanted to support Sharon and the kids, it has been an awful time. 'Toasts were raised, memories were shared - it was a very fitting goodbye. 'Ozzy wanted his final place of rest to be at home and he is buried at a beautiful point on the lake. 'As well as the 'Ozzy f***ing Osbourne' wreath, which made people smile, there was another floral tribute which spelt out 'Ozzy' that was placed by the fountain on the lake. 'There was a stage where people including Yungblud, who grew very close to Ozzy in recent years, were set to pay tribute to him. 'The day was incredibly emotional. Pictures of Ozzy were dotted throughout the house and a photograph of him was given to everyone who attended to take home with them.' Guests were sent a simple black invitation featuring a cross and the words: 'In loving memory of Ozzy Osbourne.' The road leading to the couple's Buckinghamshire home near Gerrards Cross was closed from 1pm. Mourners were transported from The Crowne Plaza and The Bull in Gerrards Cross to the house at 2pm, with the service starting at 3pm. The day before, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy.
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
The Swansea terraced house that looks like a stately home
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