The “ home of metal ” is honoring one of its most cherished sons. Thousands of Black Sabbath fans were paying their respects Wednesday to frontman Ozzy Osbourne as his hearse made its way through the streets of Birmingham, the English city where he grew up and where the band was formed in 1968.

Since Ozzy's death, the calls to preserve the pub in Birmingham where Black Sabbath played their first gig and make it a heritage site have grown louder. The pub was built in 1881 and shut in 2014, after it was bought by a Japanese development company. Culture journalist Kirsty Bosley says it is time to reconsider the future of the iconic building.

Ozzy Osbourne, the heavy metal and reality television star, died of a heart attack and had suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s, according to a death certificate filed at a registry in London.

Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22nd, 2025, leaving behind a doting wife, six children, and a lifetime of music for his fans to relish.