Funeral arrangements for Ozzy Osbourne have been announced, with the late Black Sabbath frontman's body to be taken through his hometown of Birmingham on Wednesday (30 July). The procession, accompanied by a brass band, will travel down Broad Street at 1 pm and stop at the Black Sabbath bridge ahead of a private funeral.
Osbourne died aged 76 on Tuesday (22 July). In a joint statement, his wife Sharon and children Kelly, Jack and Aimee 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."
The singer, known for his wild antics including biting the head off a dead dove, had previously spoken about his vision for a send-off. In a 2011 fan Q&A with The Times, he said he did not care what music was played as long as it was a "celebration, not a mope-fest". He added: "I'd also like some pranks: maybe the sound of knocking inside the coffin; or a video of me asking my doctor for a second opinion on his diagnosis of 'death'."
He concluded: "It's worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives. So by any measure, most of us in this country — especially rock stars like me — are very lucky. That's why I don't want my funeral to be sad. I want it to be a time to say 'thanks'."
Just weeks before his death, Osbourne performed what would be his farewell show with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in Birmingham, where the original four members played together for the first time in two decades. They were joined by Metallica, Alice in Chains, Slayer, Guns N' Roses, Tom Morello and Yungblud, with proceeds of £140m donated to three charities.
