Metal powerhouse Birmingham pays tribute to Ozzy Osbourne as his hearse journeys through its streets
In a poignant farewell, the city of Birmingham bid adieu to its beloved son, Ozzy Osbourne, as his hearse made its way through the city's major thoroughfare, Broad Street, en route to the Black Sabbath bench. The iconic frontman of the band that pioneered the heavy metal genre passed away last Tuesday at the age of 76.
Thousands of Black Sabbath fans lined the streets, paying their respects to the man who shaped their musical journey. Six vehicles carrying the Osbourne family followed the hearse, and the family emerged briefly to wave at the crowd. The atmosphere was charged with emotion as fans screamed "Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi" upon the arrival of the hearse.
Ozzy Osbourne found a new legion of fans in the early 2000s through the reality show "The Osbournes," where he starred alongside Sharon and two youngest children, Kelly and Jack. However, his antics, on and off stage, were legendary, and often fueled by drink and drugs. He was widely known as the "Prince of Darkness."
Black Sabbath was formed in Birmingham in 1968, with the intention of escaping a life of factory work. The band's eponymous debut album in 1970 made the U.K. top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit albums, including "Master of Reality" in 1971 and "Vol. 4" the following year. The band's influence extends to virtually every metal subgenre, as Tony Iommi’s unique guitar technique, born from an industrial accident, created a heavier, more ominous tone that contrasted with and expanded on the blues-rock that preceded them.
The sound and fury of heavy metal had its roots in the city's manufacturing heritage. Black Sabbath's bandmates, Terence Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward, along with Ozzy Osbourne, were recently awarded the Freedom of the City in recognition of their services to Birmingham. Zafar Iqbal, a city official, stated that Ozzy Osbourne was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham.
Ozzy Osbourne was the band's frontman during its peak period in the 1970s. His vocal style and stage persona helped codify the theatrical, larger-than-life identity of metal frontmen. After Black Sabbath's initial success, Ozzy's solo career further diversified the genre's reach and appeal, emphasizing heavy metal's evolution from its raw origins to more commercially viable forms.
The Black Sabbath bench was unveiled on the Broad Street canal bridge in 2019, a testament to the band's enduring influence. Ozzy Osbourne had been in poor health in recent years, especially after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019. Among his peers, Ozzy Osbourne was considered the godfather of metal.
Black Sabbath went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, selling more than 75 million albums worldwide. Their legacy includes inspiring countless bands across decades, from early thrash and doom metal bands to extreme metal groups, and they remain a global cultural symbol of musical rebellion and freedom.
In sum, Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne’s historical impact lies in originating and defining heavy metal music through their sound, themes, and performance style, thus creating a genre that spawned countless artists and subcultures worldwide.
Contributions
- Musical innovation: Down-tuned riffs and heavy blues-rock foundation
- Lyrics and themes: Occult, war, existential dread influencing metal’s dark tone
- Vocal style and persona: Ozzy’s unique vocals and stage presence shaping metal frontmen archetype
- Influence breadth: Foundation for all metal subgenres and global metal culture
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Fans of the heavy metal genre gathered on Broad Street to pay their respects to Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic frontman of Black Sabbath, who shaped their musical journey for decades. In the realm of pop-culture, Ozzy Osbourne, alongside his bandmates, was more than a music legend, he was a trailblazer who made significant contributions to entertainment with his innovative music, dark lyrics, unique vocal style, and larger-than-life persona.
