Eight days after the death of Ozzy Osbourne, thousands of fans of the heavy metal legend have gathered for a funeral procession in his hometown of Birmingham. Even before the start of the procession, which is being streamed live above, numerous fans—mostly dressed in black—flocked to the city in the heart of England. Fans and mourners are lining the streets of Birmingham to pay their final respects to the late music idol Ozzy Osbourne, before the funeral procession of the Black Sabbath singer arrives.
Some are wearing Black Sabbath T-shirts, others with tears in their eyes—their love for the rock icon is unmistakable. Thousands of letters and flowers Osbourne’s final escort was scheduled to begin on Broad Street, according to the Birmingham City Council, where stars embedded in the sidewalk—styled after Hollywood’s Walk of Fame—bear the names of the city’s famous sons and daughters.
Osbourne is immortalized there as well. Afterward, mourners planned to move to a bridge named after Black Sabbath. Over the past few days, thousands of fans had placed letters and flowers there. The hearse was to be accompanied by a marching band. Fans who couldn’t make it to Birmingham could join the event via livestream. It was important for Birmingham to honor Osbourne “appropriately” and “with dignity,” emphasized the city’s mayor, Safar Iqbal, on Tuesday.
“Ozzy was more than just a music legend,” said Iqbal. The singer of the legendary heavy metal band Black Sabbath was a “son” of the city. According to official statements, the city administration had planned Osbourne’s final escort together with his family. The city is proud to celebrate Osbourne’s farewell together with his loved ones, “in the place where it all began,” said the mayor.
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Elton John and Metallica at the funeral The musician, also known for his notorious escapades with drugs and alcohol, was to be buried in a private ceremony following the funeral procession. According to the tabloid The Sun, industry giants such as Elton John and Metallica frontman James Hetfield were expected to attend the funeral alongside the family. Osbourne, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease, died just over a week ago at the age of 76.
Only three weeks earlier, Black Sabbath had performed a concert in Birmingham for the first time in 20 years with its original lineup. The musicians of Black Sabbath are considered pioneers of heavy metal. The band sold over 75 million albums during its decades-long career.
