It’s a sad reality, but some of our favorite metal icons are aging before our eyes. For some, like Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, that means watching their declining health sadly deprive us of live performances and in-person appearances. Yet despite all of his health issues hampering his mobility, Ozzy’s fucking determined to visit a special tribute to the iconic metal band that put him on the map.
Late last month, we reported that work had been completed on the refurbishment of a bench in Birmingham, U.K. featuring cutouts of Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Ozzy located on the aptly renamed Black Sabbath Bridge. The bench was originally installed by Westside Business Improvement District back in June 2019, but the piece of “engagement public art” was taken down last February for some much needed restoration.
In response to the fixture’s reopening, Ozzy and his wife Sharon Osbourne sent a video interview featuring the two to Mike Olley, the general manager of Westside Business Improvement District, as an expression of thanks. In that video, Ozzy said he was thankful to have such an installation become a fixture located across the canal on what’s called the city’s “golden mile” of Broad Street.
“It’s an achievement. I mean, Black Sabbath, we all came from Birmingham, Aston precisely. I don’t know how to thank you all enough.”
And while he said he would never in his wildest dreams as a youth imagine that such an honor would come about as a result of Black Sabbath, Ozzy admitted reminisced about his time growing up in the city — or more precisely Aston.
“Well, I didn’t go to Birmingham city center much as a kid, or it was on special occasions. I remember being in Aston more.I remember when there was football matches on at the Villa. I used to mind cars and get a tip at the end of it. I remember my father coming out the pub and singing on the bus.”
When asked by Sharon when he’d be able to make it out to the bridge to see the bench, Ozzy said he’s going to go when he also gets a chance to see the mechanical bull named after Ozzy. And since it’s not too far from the bridge, that would make perfect sense.
“If I have to crawl, I’m going to be there. I’ll be coming up very soon.”
Hopefully someone will be there with a wheelchair or something to keep Ozzy from fucking up his 75 year old knees. No need to be crawling anywhere, Oz!
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