British Members of Parliament (referred to as MPs) have petitioned Queen Elizabeth II to formally recognize Black Sabbath's contributions to the world as the pioneers of heavy metal.
In a letter signed by a number of MPs including Khalid Mahmood, the group states the impetus for the request came after both Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi performed at the closing ceremony of the recent Commonwealth Games in Black Sabbath's hometown of Birmingham. The letter is also signed by members of the Birmingham City Council and reads as follows:
"Please forgive the direct nature of this letter. We, the undersigned humble subjects, humbly ask you to bestow an honour on the Black Sabbath rock group, who were formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne.
"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).
"Following the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, which took place in my Birmingham Perry Barr constituency, I have been inundated with requests that Black Sabbath be recognised for its services to music and to the City of Birmingham. For all their global fame, they have kept strong links with Birmingham, demonstrated by their barnstorming surprise performance at the closing ceremony of Commonwealth Games, which was closed by His Royal Highness Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex.
"I appreciate this request is not within the normal procedures of seeking Royal honours, however, we feel that this extraordinary occasion deserves extraordinary recognition of this extraordinary group of musicians. The band's services to music seem to have been overlooked by the usual process.
"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 who have once again not just entertained Birmingham, the United Kingdom and the whole of the Commonwealth but perhaps the world."
So here's hoping, right? And who knows – maybe this will spur some new Black Sabbath with Bill Ward on drums.
