Birmingham said farewell to one of its most beloved sons as thousands of Ozzy Osbourne fans gathered in the city centre for an emotional public funeral celebration.
The Prince of Darkness’ funeral cortège wound through Birmingham’s streets, with Ozzy’s casket carried in a black hearse whilst local band Bostin’ Brass provided the soundtrack. The group delivered rousing interpretations of Black Sabbath classics including “Iron Man” and “Crazy Train”, having previously performed these tracks during the unveiling of the Ozzy the Bull monument at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Fans congregated along Broad Street and near the Black Sabbath Bridge, many sporting band merchandise and walking canes in tribute to Ozzy’s iconic style. The atmosphere remained upbeat throughout, reflecting the musician’s own wishes that his funeral shouldn’t be depressing. Black Sabbath classics blared from pubs and trucks as supporters of all ages delivered flowers, notes, and tributes to monuments across the city.
“There were a couple of weepy moments because everybody loves him, but everybody came here as a celebration of life,” one fan told Rolling Stone. “It was an uplifting experience.”
Ozzy’s family, including widow Sharon, briefly exited their vehicles on Black Sabbath Bridge, where his children and grandchildren took time to read heartfelt notes amongst the overflowing pile of flowers and letters. Fans chanted “Ozzy forever!” and “Sharon, we love you” before launching into chants of the musician’s name.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery became a pilgrimage site, with fans queuing for over an hour to sign a commemorative book that will be presented to Ozzy’s family. Visitor Experience Assistant Justin Reeves estimated that at least 1,000 fans had signed by early afternoon, with over 11,000 signatures collected since the musician’s death.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life,” Reeves noted. “We’ve had people come in from London and as far as Argentina and São Paulo. Someone said to us, ‘The way you guys celebrate your local heroes is like nowhere else.'”
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