Texas's Alamo honors Ozzy despite notorious urination incident
"We at the Alamo are saddened to hear of the passing of legendary musician Ozzy Osbourne. His relationship with the Alamo was marked initially by a deeply disrespectful incident in 1982," the institution posted on social media.
"However, redemption and reconciliation eventually became part of his history as well."
The incident saw the self-styled "Prince of Darkness" -- who was wearing his wife Sharon's dress, in defiance of her bid to prevent him from going out by hiding his own clothes -- relieve himself on the 60-foot cenotaph that stands as a Texas war memorial.
The Alamo was the setting of a much-mythologized battle between Mexican and Texan troops in 1836.
Osbourne was arrested and barred for years from performing in San Antonio.
But a decade later, he personally apologized to the then-mayor "and expressed genuine remorse for his actions," including donating $10,000 to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
In 2015 he revisited the Alamo grounds "to learn and appreciate the site's history," said the institution, which added that Osbourne "openly demonstrated humility and understanding."
That visit was filmed for a television show on The History Channel.
"At the Alamo, we honor history in all its complexities," read the statement.
"Today, we acknowledge Ozzy Osbourne's journey from regret to reconciliation at the historic site, and we extend our condolences to his family, friends, and fans around the world. May he rest in peace."
The British metal trailblazer died Tuesday at age 76, mere weeks after he played his final show in his home city of Birmingham.
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France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Thousands honour Ozzy Osbourne at UK hometown funeral procession
Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne, who earned the nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" and once bit a bat while on stage, died on July 22 at the age of 76. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019 and died 17 days after playing a final gig to a sold-out crowd in Birmingham. Osbourne's funeral procession set off at around 1200 GMT on a route planned with the rocker's family through the English city. Chants of "Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!" could be heard, with one fan crying out "we love you Ozzy!" as his coffin -- sitting in a stately black Jaguar hearse topped with flower arrangements -- and other vehicles crawled by. The procession, which earlier passed the star's childhood home in the city's Aston area, was accompanied by a live brass band performance by local musicians from Bostin' Brass. Fan Reece Sargeant came with friends to say goodbye. "I think it was important to come and pay our respects.... Ozzy and Black Sabbath really put Birmingham on the map," he said. The 16-year-old told AFP the band's last concert had been "out of this world". Osbourne famously once said he wanted his funeral to be a celebration of his life and not a "mope-fest". The procession paused at the Black Sabbath bench -- an art installation featuring headshots of each member on a bridge also named after the band. Visibly emotional family members including his widow Sharon Osbourne laid flowers at the bench and read some of the written tributes that have been left there along with balloons and flowers. Thousands of fans have gathered at the bridge in recent days, mourning the death of the musician who was instrumental in pioneering heavy metal. The cortege, led by police motorbikes, then continued its slow journey towards a private funeral service. 'Tribute' "Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham," Zafar Iqbal, the lord mayor of the central English city, said in a statement. "It was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral. "We're proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began," Iqbal, who could be seen hugging family members when the procession stopped in central Birmingham, added. Black Sabbath enjoyed huge commercial success in the 1970s and 80s after forming in Birmingham in 1968. Their eponymous 1970 debut album made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records, including their most famous song "Paranoid". The group went on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Osbourne was added for a second time last year as a solo artist. Osbourne gained notoriety for his outlandish stunts, many fuelled by his legendary indulgence in drugs and alcohol. In 1989, he was arrested for drunkenly trying to strangle his wife Sharon, which he once mentioned in a 2007 interview. His live performances at the height of his hedonism have gone down in rock folklore, particularly the 1982 gig in the US city of Des Moines when he bit a bat on stage. Osbourne said he thought a fan had thrown a rubber bat onstage, and it was not until he took a bite that he realised it was real.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
In Pictures: Birmingham honours Prince of Darkness Ozzy Osbourne
The "home of metal" is honouring its cherished and fallen son. Thousands of Black Sabbath and music fans paid their respects today to Ozzy Osbourne as his hearse made its way through the streets of Birmingham, the English city where The Prince of Darkness grew up and where the band was formed in 1968. The hearse carrying Osbourne, who died last Tuesday at the age of 76, made its way down Broad Street to the Black Sabbath bench. 'Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi,' fans screamed as the hearse arrived. Six vehicles carrying the Osbourne family, who paid for the procession, followed. The family emerged briefly, with Ozzy's wife of 43 years Sharon visibly moved. Check out some of the pictures of today's tribute to Ozzy: 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," said Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal. 'We know how much this moment will mean to his fans." RIP Ozzy Osbourne: 1948 - 2025
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Ozzy Osbourne's funeral cortege to make final trip through Birmingham
The final farewell for the Prince of Darkness takes place today, as Ozzy Osbourne's funeral cortege will make its way through the British rocker's hometown of Birmingham. Thousands of fans will get a chance to pay their respects to the Black Sabbath singer and heavy metal pioneer as the procession travels along the city centre's Broad Street from 2pm CET today. The hearse will then make its way to the Black Sabbath Bridge and bench, where thousands have already come together to leave flowers in tribute to the artist. 'We're going to pay our last respects and homage to one of the greatest living legends of Birmingham,' said Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal. 'He put Birmingham on the map. He put Aston on the map.' Iqbal added that it was important to the city to give the star "a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral". There has also been a book of condolences open at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, alongside the Ozzy Osbourne Working Class Hero exhibition. Fans (including Iqbal) have been queuing extensively for the chance to write in the book. Speaking about today's tribute with the BBC, Iqbal said about the fans that the 'love they showed Ozzy and his family was immense', and that he was grateful to the Osbourne family for funding all of the associated costs and enabling the event to go ahead. The city council said for those not able to make the event, the live stream of the Black Sabbath bench will continue to be viewed online. Ozzy died at the age of 76 on 22 July, shortly after he took to the stage for the Back To The Beginning farewell gig in Birmingham on 5 July. Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates Terence "Geezer" Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward were awarded the Freedom of the City in June, before the Back To The Beginning show, honouring their "significance to the cultural and musical identity of Birmingham". Ozzy's cause of death has not yet been revealed, but the rocker was dealing with numerous health issues, including Parkinson's Disease. His "final bow" gig with his Sabbath bandmates at Villa Park raised about £140m (€160m) for charity. A film documenting the gig is currently in production and is set to hit theatres next year.
