As the world mourns the death of Ozzy Osbourne, we remember Workington’s role in his genre-defining band.
Black Sabbath, led by Ozzy, was formerly known as Earth.
The pioneering band, which frequently performed in West Cumbria, realised there was another band with the same name so needed to change it.
They announced that they would change their name to Black Sabbath at a gig at Banklands Youth Club on August 26 1969.
They had been performing in Germany and their first gig back on home soil was in Workington – and where they officially became Black Sabbath.
A plaque to commemorate Workington’s footnote in the band’s history was unveiled in the Carnegie Theatre and Arts Centre on Finkle Street in 2022.
It was the brainchild of Dez Rumney, who is a massive fan of the group. His annual Zonked Out On Acdo shows in the town – a tribute with a twist to Black Sabbath – are still talked about in town.
Dez and members of his then band, Zero, actually raised the money in 2020, but the plaque wasn’t unveiled until after the Covid pandemic.
The band also played at venues in Wigton and Carlisle.
Ozzy’s other Cumbrian connection is Dave Tangye, of Egremont, who was the star’s personal assistant in the 1970s.
He accompanied Black Sabbath on several international tours and Ozzy used to stay at Dave’s mum’s.
He wrote a book about his time with the band with Graham Wright. Initially published as How Black Was Our Sabbath, it was republished in 2022 as Black Sabbath: The Thrill of It All.
