Why Birmingham Will Have an Ozzy Osbourne Airport Before Roger Waters Gets a Bus Bench
Sooooo much stuff—All photos ©dickslaughter.com
The Black Sabbath Bridge seems like just another canal crossing in Birmingham, UK. Until you notice the bench, painted with the likenesses of Ozzy, Tony, Geezer, and Bill. Front and center, it’s still piled high with flowers, handwritten notes, and other tributes. Fans march straight from the train station like they’re on a holy pilgrimage to honor Birmingham’s favorite son, a rock and roll icon and the accidental dad of a generation.”
A fan leaves her offering to the Prince of Darkness—photo ©dickslaughter.com
Keeping watch nearby is a security guard who’s become part of the experience. What began as a day job has turned him into an unofficial tour guide, reciting the lore of Black Sabbath with encyclopedic precision. He can tell you about the band’s beginnings, which gigs went sideways, and why this spot matters. Visitors gather around him, listening like students at a roadside lecture.
Professor Sabbath and two fans who came straight from the train station—photo ©dickslaughter.com
And it does matter. The bridge isn’t just a shortcut over the canal. It’s Birmingham staking its claim. Black Sabbath didn’t come out of Los Angeles or London; they came out of Birmingham’s factories and pubs. This bridge, with its bench painted in their likeness, plants that history in the heart of the city.
The crowd around the bench is its own spectacle, an eclectic mix of locals on lunch break, tourists with cameras, and lifelong fans in Black Sabbath shirts. At one point, a fan stripped off his shirt to reveal a brand-new Ozzy bat tattoo, the skin still red from the needle. He grinned as strangers leaned in for a look, the ink already becoming part of the collective tribute.
From there, it’s a short walk to the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, where the tribute shifts from street-level to glass-case reverence. The exhibition, Ozzy Osbourne (1948–2025): Working Class Hero, gathers it all: Grammy Awards, MTV trophies, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors, gold and platinum discs, and photographs tracing the journey from Birmingham grit to global stages.
The exhibit was meant to close in September, but demand has kept it open through January 18, 2026. For those who can’t make it in person, there’s a 360° tour online.
One man taking in the Oz—©dickslaughter.com.
Visiting the bridge and the museum felt oddly comforting, and I’d suggest everyone make the trip if they can. Thanks in no small part to his loving wife, Ozzy has become much more than just another boring rock star. He’s a true rock and roll legend who became the world’s favorite dad, part of Birmingham’s fabric, a shared story, and a reason for strangers to gather by a canal bridge and feel connected. Whether you enjoy his music or not, his lovable personality has endeared him to people everywhere, so much so that he feels not only like a rock god but also like part of the family.
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