Thousands of people went to the rocker’s hometown, Birmingham, England, to give the city’s prodigal son a last goodbye
With deafening shouts of “Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy!”, Birmingham, England, said goodbye today with love of his favorite son, Ozzy Osbourneduring a celebration that involved the whole city. Thousands of fans gathered in the city center along Broad Street and near the Black Sabbath bridge. The climate was predominantly optimistic – a tribute suitable for a man who once said he didn’t want his funeral to be depressed.
Officially, the community met for a procession in honor of Osbournewho died at age 76 on July 22. But after that, the musician’s fans turned a typically melancholy event into a lively celebration of life and music that extended throughout the musician’s hometown. Many dressed in costumes Black Sabbath and walked with canes – a tribute to the style of the Prince of Darkness. An endless catalog of tracks from Black Sabbath Echoed in pubs and pickup trucks, and fans of all ages delivered tickets, flowers and even a VHS box of Star Wars in monuments around the city, including the now closed pub Crown, where the Black Sabbath it started.
“There were some moments of crying because everyone loves him, but everyone came here to celebrate life,” he says Mikee Smith36, who traveled from Worcester and visited the crown to take a picture. “It was an inspiring experience.”
“Any sadness I felt on the train trip here disappeared as soon as I joined the crowd waiting for the procession to pass,” he adds Mark Dubanowski34, member of the death metal band of Worcester, Desecrator. “The atmosphere turned everything upside down.”
The funeral procession, paid for the musician’s family, traveled the city with the coffin of Osbourne In a black funeral car. The local band Bostin ‘Brass He composed the soundtrack, evoking both New Orleans’ spirit and Birmingham culture, in an effort to contain tears. The group presented exciting versions of Black Sabbath and from Osbournehow “Iron Man” and “Crazy Train”which they previously learned for the inauguration of the monument to Ozzythe bull, during the opening ceremonies of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
If there was a dark moment, it was when the family of Osbourneincluding the widow Sharonmomentarily came out of his cars on the Black Sabbath bridge. The sons and grandchildren of the rocker contemplated the overflowing pile of flowers and letters, reading some of the sincere tickets. The family hugged and cried, but the fans quickly tried to cheer them by shouting “Ozzy forever!” And “Sharon, we love you,” before they united their voices in an exciting song of the musician’s name.
The family remained there for just a few minutes before moving on and allowing the barricades that prevented fans from being removed. It was a conscious choice, many said, to provide the Osbourne The revealing celebration he has always wanted. After paying their honors on the wall, museum and bridge, many gathered in front of the pubs along the channel, with beer mugs in hand and applause to the deceased legend, who returned to Birmingham at the end of his life – a full cycle moment for the city.
Osbourne It came from a family of the Birmingham working class, an ancient industrial city that only recently underwent revitalization. Aaron Diaztrumpeter and band leader Bostin ‘Brasspoints out the rise of Osbourneof young Aston, the world -renowned musician, as a mirror of the city’s own evolution. “Ozzy It is an indelible part of Birmingham’s music scene. He represents a lot of the pride, humility and sense of humor of the city, “he says Diaz. “He really became a symbol of the city. His regeneration as a cult figure and God of metal also reflects Birmingham’s journey.”
For many fans, Osbourne It was a lighthouse of hope for a city that was often overshadowed by London. Many revelers expected in long lines to take a quick photo on the Black Sabbath bridge or to autograph the commemorative book at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. After the procession, the waiting time to autograph the book, which will be presented to the family of Osbourneit was over an hour. Justin ReevesThe museum visitor’s experience assistant, estimated that at least 1,000 fans have autographed the book until the early afternoon of the parade and at least 11,000 autographed him since the death of Ozzy. Although I saw some tears and shared some exciting moments with visitors, Reeves He said he was encouraged by the galvanizing response around the world.
“I never lived anything like it in my life,” he says Reeves. “We received people from London and places as distant as Argentina and Sao Paulo. Everyone said, ‘Birmingham is so cool. Everyone here is so kind.’ Someone told us, ‘The way you celebrate your local heroes is unmatched.’
One of the fans who waited in line to autograph the book was Hayden Worton31, resident of Birmingham, who recently attended the last presentation of Osbourne, Back to the beginninga charity show held at neighboring Villa Park.
“I have been to many, many shows, and this was the best I have ever been,” he said Worton. “When he played ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’there was no single dry eye on the site. It was a big farewell. He meant everything to Birmingham. He put Birmingham on the map. ”
Another local resident, Sarah Edwards45, has regularly visited memorials in Birmingham and left flowers and honors since the musician’s death. Edwards was born in the same hospital as Osbourneand his father was his friend when he was younger. She said she never saw the community unite around a Birmingham legend like this in her life.
“It’s the first time,” she said after visiting the Black Sabbathrecently inaugurated, created by the artist Mr muralswhere many fans deposited flowers. “We are the second largest city in England and we have never seen anything like it before. It has been very good because I met fantastic people, and everyone is here for the same reason. It’s good that everyone is happy here together.”
“Birmingham shaped me because that’s where I come from there,” he said Osbourne once to Huffington Post. “I had no other choice – it’s great.”
Although many British musicians and artists have died in recent years, some fans have only been able to point out the death of Queen Elizabeth IIin 2022, as a milestone in British culture. “She was royalty,” he said Dubanowski. “But Ozzy too. He was rock royalty.”
But even when fans said goodbye to a favorite musician, it was clear that Osbourne It would never really leave. “When someone you have accompanied all your life and you love dies and suddenly, this person goes, it’s sad,” he said Edwards. “But I know that Ozzy Osbourne will always be here. “
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Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
