THE BEAST

Fans of the late Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne gathered in the streets of his hometown today to say a final farewell to the man who defined heavy metal for generations. The funeral cortège made its way through Birmingham’s Broad Street, offering a poignant opportunity for the public to pay tribute to a musical icon whose influence spanned decades and continents.

Beginning at 1 p.m. local time (5 a.m. PDT / 8 a.m. EDT), the hearse carrying Osbourne’s body moved slowly through the city accompanied by a brass band performance from local musicians Bostin' Brass. The procession made its way to the Black Sabbath Bridge — a site now blanketed with flowers, handwritten notes, and other tributes from thousands of devoted fans.

The city of Birmingham, which has always been proud to claim Osbourne as a native son, worked closely with the Osbourne family over the weekend to organize the respectful public tribute. All costs associated with the event were generously covered by the family.

“Ozzy was more than a music legend — he was a son of Birmingham,” said Zafar Iqbal, Birmingham’s Lord Mayor. “Having recently received the Freedom of the City and returned for one final show at Villa Park, it was important that we give him a send-off befitting his legacy. We are proud to host it here in the place where it all began.”

This event precedes a private funeral, the details of which have not been disclosed. In the meantime, a book of condolence has been made available to the public at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, near the ongoing "Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero" exhibition which highlights his monumental solo career.

The moment is bittersweet for many, as it comes just weeks after Osbourne’s surprise final performance at Villa Park earlier this month. There, Ozzy performed four songs with Black Sabbath — Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward — to a crowd of over 40,000, with nearly 6 million tuning in via livestream. It would be the last time fans would see him perform live.

Ozzy Osbourne passed away on the morning of July 22, surrounded by his family. The cause of death has not been released, but he had struggled in recent years with Parkinson’s disease and complications from a serious fall in 2019.

In a 2011 interview with The Times of London, Ozzy joked about his future funeral, saying: “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... I do want to make sure it's a celebration, not a mope-fest.”

And a celebration it was.

Born in Aston, Birmingham, in 1948, Osbourne co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968, a band now considered the godfathers of heavy metal. Their innovative, doom-laden sound laid the foundation for an entire genre, with over 75 million albums sold worldwide. Ozzy later enjoyed a successful solo career and became a household name through the Emmy-winning reality TV show The Osbournes.

In 2006, Ozzy and his Black Sabbath bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2024, he was honored again — this time for his solo work. He also won multiple Grammy Awards, including Best Metal Performance in 1993 for “I Don’t Want to Change the World.”

Ever the iconoclast, Osbourne launched the now-legendary Ozzfest in 1996 after being turned down by Lollapalooza. The festival became a launchpad for countless metal acts and a touchstone event for fans of heavy music.

Ozzy leaves behind his wife Sharon, three children from his first marriage, and three children with Sharon: Jack, Kelly, and Aimee.

Today, Birmingham — and the world — mourns the loss of a legend. But as Ozzy once said, there will be no "mope-fest" — only the sound of music, laughter, and love as fans reflect on the legacy of the Prince of Darkness.

Rest in peace, Ozzy.