Birmingham MPs call for Black Sabbath to be honoured after surprise Commonwealth Games performance

Black Sabbath performed at the Alexander Stadium at Perry Barr Credit: PA

A group of Birmingham MPs and senior councillors have written to the Queen requesting that Black Sabbath be honoured, following their surprise performance at the closing ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The cross-bench selection of MPs have joined forces with the leader of Birmingham City Council, Ian Ward, and the deputy leader, Councillor Brigid Jones.

Khalid Mahmood, the MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, has also started a petition, in which he requests that a "royal honour is bestowed on the Black Sabbath rock group."

"They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped define the genre with releases such as Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970), and Master of Reality (1971)."

In their letter to the Queen, the group write: "For all their global fame, they have kept strong links with Birmingham, demonstrated by their barnstorming surprise performance at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games."

"We therefore seek direct intervention and support from Your Majesty to recognise the great contribution made by these fine and ground-breaking musicians, who were made in Birmingham and have once again not just entertained Birmingham, the United Kingdom and the whole of the Commonwealth but perhaps the world."

The band already have a bridge named after them in central Birmingham Credit: PA

Black Sabbath's frontman Ozzy Osbourne made a surprise appearance on stage to close out the 2022 Commonwealth Games in emphatic fashion.

Birmingham's 'Prince of Darkness' joined with guitarist Tony Iommi, and touring musicians drummer Tommy Clufetos and bassist Adam Wakeman to perform the heavy metal band's classic, Paranoid. It was the first time Iommi and Osbourne had performed together since 2017.

Fireworks were set off and crowds cheered as they launched into their hit song Paranoid.

It came at the end of a ceremony that celebrated the history, culture, and music of Birmingham and the West Midlands, in front of a live audience of over 30,000.

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