You Could Soon Be Flying Into Ozzy Osbourne Airport

Bono and U2 once sang of a place where the streets have no names. I always thought, "Wow! Talk about a great place to honor the men and women of Rock! A street with no name is no different than getting caught in the center of walk and don't walk." Never once did I think of renaming an airport after those who've spent a lifetime jetting our emotions in and out of mental airports. Airports have been named after Hollywood royalties like Bob Hope, John Wayne and Ronald Reagan. Imagine flying into the Ozzy! Classic Rock Magazine reports the record label boss who discovered Black Sabbath has launched a campaign to have Birmingham Airport named after singer Ozzy Osbourne. Jim Simpson, head of Big Bear Music, says it’s time the band’s home town recognised the cultural contribution the band have given to the world. The idea comes after an attempt to mark their roots with a Black Sabbath Day came to nothing. Simpson tells the Birmingham Mail: “How does the Ozzy Osbourne International Airport resonate? “The message that would carry is instantly international, confident, powerful, unforgettable and says ‘Hey World, we are proud of our own’. “Ozzy might not always have been a paragon of virtue, but he is a genuine flesh and blood Brummie.” City councillor Philip Parkin, who’s behind the Destination Birmingham promotional campaign, likes the idea. He says: “I think something like that would need to be consulted on fairly widely because it’s a significant part of our infrastructure. “I would be interested to know what people thought about that as an idea. “I still feel in general we need to be making the most of the talent we have got and did have in this city.” Osbourne, who recently told rising stars to enjoy the first years of their fame, will next year appear on his first album with Black Sabbath since 1979. Guitarist Tony Iommi, who was diagnosed with cancer this time in 2011, admitted the past year wasn’t what he’d expected, but thanked fans for their support.