Jim Simpson, who is a British recording industry veteran as well as the man who discovered the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, is working to get Ozzy Osbourne's hometown airport named after the rocker.
After attempts to organize a Black Sabbath Day in Birmingham, England recently stalled, Simpson decided renaming the airport would be a better option in order to embrace the town’s musical heritage, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"I believe that there is a masterstroke that would instantly confound the cynics. Just re-name our airport! 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,’" Simpson told the Birmingham Mail.
"Ozzy might not always have been a paragon of virtue, but he is a genuine flesh and blood Brummie," he continued.
Although Birmingham city councilman Philip Parkin admitted he was intrigued by the idea and said the city should celebrate its talented natives, he also knows he would have to consult others on the decision.
"It’s an interesting idea and I’ve got an open mind, but I think something like that would need to be consulted on fairly widely because it’s a significant part of our infrastructure," Parkin said.
If Ozzy Osbourne International Airport does makes its debut, it wouldn't be the only airport named after a musician. Liverpool renamed its airport after John Lennon and other airports include Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Airport in Salzburg, Austria.
Birmingham saw the formation of Black Sabbath in 1969 when Osbourne collaborated with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward.