BIRMINGHAM: Thousands are expected to line the streets of Ozzy Osbourne’s UK hometown of Birmingham on Wednesday to honor the heavy metal hell-raiser as he is laid to rest.
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.
Thousands to pay respects as Ozzy Osbourne laid to rest in UK hometown
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Thousands to pay respects as Ozzy Osbourne laid to rest in UK hometown
- Thousands are expected to line the streets of Ozzy Osbourne’s UK hometown of Birmingham on Wednesday to honor the heavy metal hell-raiser as he is laid to rest
Elysee Palace silver steward arrested for stealing thousands of euros’ worth of silverware
- The Sevres Manufactory — which supplied most of the furnishings — identified several of the missing items on online auction websites
- Investigators later found around 100 objects in the silver steward’s personal locker, his vehicle and their home
PARIS: Three men will stand trial next year after a silver steward employed at the official residence of the French president was arrested this week for the theft of items of silverware and table service worth thousands of euros, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
The Elysee Palace’s head steward reported the disappearance, with the estimated loss ranging between 15,000 and 40,000 euros (($17,500-$47,000).
The Sevres Manufactory — which supplied most of the furnishings — identified several of the missing items on online auction websites. Questioning of Elysee staff led investigators to suspect one of the silver stewards, whose inventory records gave the impression he was planning future thefts.
Investigators established that the man was in a relationship with the manager of a company specializing in the online sale of objects, notably tableware. Investigators discovered on his Vinted account a plate stamped “French Air Force” and “Sevres Manufactory” ashtrays that are not available to the general public.
Around 100 objects were found in the silver steward’s personal locker, his vehicle and their home. Among the items recovered were copper saucepans, Sevres porcelain, a René Lalique statuette and Baccarat champagne coupes.
The two were arrested Tuesday. Investigators also identified a single receiver of the stolen goods. The recovered items were returned to the Elysee Palace.
The three suspects appeared in court Thursday on charges of jointly stealing movable property listed as part of the national heritage — an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a 150,000-euro fine, as well as aggravated handling of stolen goods.
The trial was postponed to Feb. 26. The defendants were placed under judicial supervision, banned from contacting one another, prohibited from appearing at auction venues and barred from their professional activities.
