Ozzy Osbourne had expressed specific wishes for his funeral arrangements long before he passed away at the age of 76, emphasizing one particular aspect he wanted to avoid.
The legendary Black Sabbath frontman recently passed, following his 2019 diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease.
Announcing the news of his death, his family released a statement: “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.”
Ozzy is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their children, Aimee, Kelly, and Jack. He also leaves behind Jessica and Louis, his children from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, as well as his grandchildren.
Renowned for his role as Black Sabbath’s lead singer, Ozzy was instrumental in shaping the heavy metal rock genre during its peak in the 1970s.
His dramatic stage antics, such as the infamous bat incident, along with his self-proclaimed title as the Prince of Darkness, made him a controversial figure.
Nevertheless, his popularity soared with the reality TV show The Osbournes, where fans became fond of him due to his candid relationship with Sharon on screen.
In a 2011 column for The Times, Ozzy shared his vision for a funeral that celebrated his life, steering clear of sorrow.
“I honestly don’t care what they play at my funeral; they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and We Are the Diddymen if it makes ‘em happy,” he revealed to the publication. “But I do want to make sure it’s 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’. There’ll be no harping on the bad times.”
The funeral is set to take place in Birmingham on Wednesday (July 30), with a procession along Broad Street.
The procession will stop at the Black Sabbath bench and bridge, featuring a live performance by musicians from Bostin’ Brass.
The funeral procession, starting at 8am EST/5am PT, will be livestreamed here.
A private funeral will follow the public event.
Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy’s daughter, took to Instagram Stories to share lyrics from the Black Sabbath song ‘Changes’ following her father’s passing.
The song, recorded as a duet by the father-daughter duo in 2003, held sentimental value. Kelly’s post read: “I feel unhappy I am so sad,” further expressing, “I lost the best friend I ever had.”
Ozzy’s passing was initially confirmed through a family statement.