Representatives for Birmingham Airport in England have played down reports that the facility could be renamed in honor of Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne. The Birmingham Mail reported a few days ago that former Sabbath manager Jim Simpson had launched a campaign to have the airport named after Ozzy, with at least one city councilor named Philip Parkin interested in pursuing the idea as well.

But an airport spokesperson threw cold water on the idea, telling Travel Mole, "We've no plans to rename the airport so we're not quite sure where the story's come from. But we're certainly not in discussions."

All four original members of Sabbath -- Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward -- are from Birmingham and formed the group there in the late '60s.

Simpson floated the idea of the airport name change after a proposal for a "Black Sabbath Day" fell through, saying, "The message that would carry is instantly international, confident, powerful, unforgettable and says 'Hey world, we are proud of our own.'"
Osbourne, Iommi and Butler, but not Ward, are currently working on their first album together under the Sabbath banner since 1978.

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