Lord mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal has paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, describing the Black Sabbath frontman as a "proud Brummie" who helped put the city "on the world map". The heavy metal legend, known as the Prince of Darkness, died at the age of 76 on Tuesday.
Iqbal met the founding members of the heavy metal band when they were presented with the freedom of Birmingham in June. Black Sabbath formed in the city in 1968 and were recognised for their significance to Birmingham's cultural and musical identity as pioneers of heavy metal.
"Birmingham forever" - Osbourne's lasting connection
"He was very important and he was a proud Brummie. He loved the city. He will be much missed, I think, and he was loved by so many people in the city," Iqbal told the PA news agency. "I think he put Birmingham, and especially Aston, on the world map. He's done so much for the city and we honoured him with the freedom of the city as well."
Terence "Geezer" Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Osbourne all received the honour about six weeks ago. The lord mayor described meeting Osbourne as "the greatest honour" and praised him as a "very humble guy, very down-to-earth guy".
Hours discussing Birmingham roots
During their meeting at the council house, Osbourne spent hours discussing Aston, Aston Villa Football Club and the people of Birmingham. "The thing I love about him is that at the end of everything he said, he always said, 'Birmingham forever'. And he never forgot his roots, where he came from," Iqbal said.
A book of condolences has been opened at a Birmingham museum hosting an exhibition dedicated to Osbourne. The lord mayor spoke to fans already queueing to sign the book, expecting hundreds more to visit over the weekend.
Council plans further tribute
The council is planning to meet and decide on further ways to honour the Birmingham-born star. "I'm sure there's definitely going to be something, I'm not sure what that's going to be looking like at the moment but we will definitely do something," Iqbal said.
Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands, expressed gratitude that Black Sabbath received the freedom of Birmingham and played their final concert at Villa Park when they did. Speaking at the Black Sabbath mural in the city on Wednesday, Parker recalled attending both events.
Final farewell at Villa Park
"I was just struck by the sense of goodwill and a sense of pride that he gave us all," Parker said. "I was just struck by how humble he and members of the band were and I just remember how much it meant to them."
Osbourne, who grew up in Aston, reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for a farewell gig at Villa Park on July 5. The concert featured performances from Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N'Roses, with messages of thanks from celebrities including Jack Black, Ricky Gervais and Dolly Parton.
Hometown hero's lasting legacy
Parker emphasised how much the final performance meant to Osbourne and the city. "There was hardly a conversation he had that didn't mention where he came from and how much this city meant to him," he added.
The mayor reflected on the timing of recent events, saying: "In retrospect, I think we're just very, very thankful that those two events happened when they did."
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
