Ozzy Osbourne fans will be given a chance to pay their respects to the heavy metal legend, as his funeral cortège travels through his home city of Birmingham.
The Black Sabbath frontman died aged 76 on 22 July, just weeks after he played a triumphant farewell show at Villa Park with his fellow founding members plus a number of other metal and rock acts including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses and Tom Morello.
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When is the funeral procession?
On Wednesday (30 July), Osbourne’s body will be brought back to the city for a procession that will travel along Broad Street from 1pm.
The event, which takes place ahead of a private funeral, will also give his family the opportunity to see the flowers, tributes and other memories his fans have left around the city.
What route will the procession take?
After travelling down Broad Street, the procession will pause at the Black Sabbath bench and bridge.
The cortège will be accompanied by a live brass band performance by musicians from Bostin’ Brass. Several road closures will be in place around Birmingham, including Broad Street, which will be closed to traffic from 7am while buses and trams will be diverted.
Birmingham council said it had worked “at pace” to coordinate the event with Osbourne’s family, who have funded any associated costs.
The city’s mayor, councillor Zafar Iqbal, said in a statement: “Ozzy was more than a music legend – he was a son of Birmingham.
“Having recently been awarded the Freedom of the City and following his celebrated appearance at the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park earlier this month, it was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral.”
He continued: “We know how much this moment will mean to his fans. We’re proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began, and we are grateful that they have generously offered to pay to enable this to happen and support the city is giving him the farewell he deserves.”
Osbourne left behind a legacy as one of the greatest rock frontman of all time, a pioneer whose band is largely credited with creating heavy metal through early albums such as their self-titled 1970 debut, and second album Paranoid.
The self-proclaimed “Prince of Darkness” suffered a series of health issues in his later years, mostly related to neck injuries sustained in a 2003 quad-biking accident, which were later exacerbated by a fall in 2019. He revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease that same year.
How can I watch the procession?
For fans unable to visit Birmingham to see Osbourne’s procession, a livestream of the Black Sabbath bench will be available to watch.
Fans wishing to pay their respects will also be able to visit Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where a book of condolence is open, as well as the Ozzy Osbourne Working Class Hero exhibition that his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, opened in June.
Announcing his death last week, his family said: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.
“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
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