Thousands to pay respects as Ozzy Osbourne laid to rest in UK hometown
Osbourne, nicknamed the 'Prince of Darkness' and who once bit a bat while on stage while performing with his Black Sabbath band, died on July 22 at the age of 76.
The heavy metal star, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, passed away just over a fortnight after playing a final gig before a sold-out crowd in Birmingham.
Birmingham city council said Osbourne's funeral cortege would pass slowly through the city from 1:00 p.m. (1200 GMT) down Broad Street to Black Sabbath bridge, along a route planned with the rocker's family.
The hearse and vehicles will be accompanied by a live brass band performance by local musicians from Bostin' Brass.
Osbourne will then be laid to rest at a private funeral service.
'Ozzy was more than a music legend — he was a son of Birmingham,' Zafar Iqbal, the lord mayor of the central English city, said in a statement.
'It was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral.
'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,' Iqbal added.
Thousands of fans have left heartfelt messages and floral tributes at the bridge in recent days, mourning the death of the musician who was instrumental in pioneering heavy metal, an offshoot of hard rock.
Black Sabbath enjoyed huge commercial success in the 1970s and 80s after forming in Birmingham in 1968.
Their eponymous 1970 debut album made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records, including their most famous song 'Paranoid.'
The group went on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Osbourne was added for a second time last year as a solo artist.
Osbourne gained notoriety for his outlandish stunts, many of them fueled by his lavish use of drugs and alcohol.
In 1989, he was arrested for drunkenly trying to strangle his wife Sharon, which he once mentioned in a 2007 interview.
His live performances at the height of his hedonism have gone down in rock folklore, particularly the 1982 gig in the US city of Des Moines when he bit a bat on stage.
Osbourne said he thought a fan had thrown a fake rubber bat onstage, and it was not until he took a bite that he realized it was real.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
3 days ago
- Arab News
What We Are Reading Today: ‘After a Dance'
Author: Bridget O'Connor Bridget O'Connor's 'After a Dance' — published in 2024 — is a dazzling collection of short stories that captures the messy, beautiful imperfections of human life. Each story brims with wit, sharp observations, and an unflinching exploration of characters living on the edge of their own realities. From an anonymous thief chasing an unusual prize to a hungover best man clinging to lost love, O'Connor weaves a tapestry of flawed yet relatable individuals. These characters, vividly drawn and achingly human, linger in the mind long after the final page. The unrepentant gold-digger who always emerges victorious is as compelling as the melancholy romantic grappling with their fragility. The prose is both biting and tender, oscillating between humor and heartbreak. O'Connor has a gift for capturing the absurdity of everyday life while uncovering profound truths beneath its surface. Her stories are unapologetically raw, often exposing the darker corners of the human psyche. Yet, amid the chaos, there is an undeniable beauty in the vulnerability of her characters. What sets 'After a Dance' apart is its balance. It neither romanticizes nor vilifies its subjects, instead presenting them as they are: Complex, contradictory, and utterly fascinating. Whether it is unraveling the narcissist or delving into the quiet strength of a dreamer, O'Connor showcases the full spectrum of human emotion with grace. This collection is a testament to O'Connor's storytelling. It is a rollercoaster of highs and lows, of laughter and tears, and, ultimately, of life itself. Few books manage to be this entertaining while leaving such a lasting emotional impact. A must-read for anyone who craves stories that are as honest as they are captivating.
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Now Playing in Movie Theaters: 73 Minutes of Cat Videos, for a Good Cause
The best of the internet's cat videos are coming to the big screen this weekend. Cat Video Fest is a 73-minute, G-rated selection of all things feline —silly, cuddly, sentimental and comedic—that's playing in more than 500 independent theaters in the US and Canada. A portion of ticket proceeds benefit cat-focused charities, shelters and animal welfare organization. Since 2019, it's raised over $1 million. The videos are curated by Will Braden, the Seattle-based creator of the comedically existential shorts, Henri, le Chat Noir. His business cards read: 'I watch cat videos.' And it's not a joke or an exaggeration. Braden watches thousands of hours of internet videos to make the annual compilation. 'I want to show how broad the idea of a cat video can be so there's animated things, music videos, little mini documentaries,' Braden said. 'It isn't all just, what I call, 'America's Funniest Home Cat Videos.' It's not all cats falling into a bathtub. That would get exhausting.' Now in its eighth year, Cat Video Fest is bigger than ever, with a global presence that's already extended to the UK and Denmark, and, for the first time, to France, Spain, Japan and Brazil. Last year, the screenings made over $1 million at the box office. In the early days, it was a bit of a process trying to convince independent movie theaters to program Cat Video Fest. But Braden, and indie distributor Oscilloscope Laboratories, have found that one year is all it takes to get past that hurdle. 'Everywhere that does it wants to do it again,' Braden said. Current theatrical partners include Alamo Drafthouse, IFC Center, Nitehawk, Vidiots, Laemmle and Music Box. The screenings attract all variety of audiences, from kids and cat ladies to hipsters and grandparents and everyone in between. 'It's one of the only things, maybe besides a Pixar movie or Taylor Swift concert, that just appeals to everybody,' Braden said. And the plan is to keep going. 'We're not going to run out of cat videos and we're not going to run out of people who want to see it,' Braden said. 'All I have to do is make sure that it's really funny and entertaining every year.'
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Beloved children's author Allan Ahlberg dies at 87
British writer Allan Ahlberg, author of more than 150 children's books including classics like 'Eat Peach Pear Plum' and 'The Jolly Postman,' has died, his publisher said Friday. He was 87. Penguin Random House said Ahlberg died on Tuesday. It did not give a cause of death. Ahlberg's books introduced generations of young children to reading through simple rhymes, sharp observation, and gentle humor. Many were co-created with his illustrator wife Janet Ahlberg, who died in 1994. 'Peepo!' (1981) gave a baby's-eye-view of the world and was interactive in a delightfully analog way with peep-holes in the pages to spy the next scenes. 'The Jolly Postman' (1986) was even more inventive, incorporating postcards and letters in envelopes for children to engage with while they followed a letter-carrier delivering mail to fairy tale characters. Penguin Random House said it pushed at the boundaries of what it is possible for a book to be. Ahlberg also wrote books of jokes including 'The Ha Ha Bonk Book' and poetry for primary school-age children including 'Please Mrs. Butler' and 'Heard it in the Playground.' Born in 1938 and raised by adoptive parents in a working-class home in OIdbury, central England, Ahlberg worked as a postman, plumber's mate, and grave digger, according to his publisher, before becoming a teacher. He met Janet at teacher training college, and the couple's first book, 'Here are the Brick Street Boys,' was published in 1975. Then came 'Burglar Bill,' in 1977, about a burglar who steals a baby, and 'Eat Peach Pear Plum,' in 1978, with its pages of intricately drawn nursery-rhyme characters. It won Janet the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration, one of the most prestigious awards in children's publishing. 'The Jolly Christmas Postman' won the same prize in 1991. After Janet died of cancer aged just 50, Ahlberg worked with illustrators including Raymond Briggs and his daughter Jessica Ahlberg. For adults, he wrote a tribute to his wife, 'Janet's Last Book,' and two autobiographies: 'The Boyhood of Burglar Bill' and 'The Bucket.' Francesca Dow, head of children's literature at Penguin Random House, said Ahlberg's books have been described as 'mini masterpieces.' 'He knew that making it perfect for children matters and above all that the very best stories for children last forever,' Dow said. 'Allan's are some of the very best – true classics which will be loved by children and families for years to come.' Ahlberg is survived by his second wife, Vanessa Clarke, his daughter, and two stepdaughters.
