Ozzy Osbourne: Special Issue of Riffs Journal Launch 3 July 2026

This is a launch event for the special issue of Riffs Journal dedicated to exploring the legacies of Ozzy Osbourne. It has been put together by two ‘adopted Brummies’ Asya Draganova and Benjamin Torrens in Birmingham, the city where Black Sabbath’s and Ozzy’s stories began and where they returned for their final show. Published a year after Back to the Beginning, this issue features contributions from cultural activists, musicians, researchers and people working in different sectors within the music industries. At the launch event, we will explore the Ozzy Osbourne journal issue and participating authors who join us on the day will share more about their relationships with Ozzy, Black Sabbath and Birmingham as a music city. 

Riffs is an Open Access journal dedicated to experimental writing about popular music. The Ozzy Osbourne special issue will be available on the journal website here: Riffs – A Popular Music Studies Journal 

Special thanks to the BCMCR for supporting us to produce print copies of this publication and for making it possible to offer drinks and snacks at the journal issue launch event. Looking forward to seeing you there! If you are unable to come to the event in person, you are welcome to join us online. 

Here is a list of the contributors to the Ozzy Osbourne special issue of Riffs:

Asya Draganova, Senior Lecturer in Popular Music Culture, co-editor of this Ozzy Osbourne journal issue

Benjamin Torrens, academic researcher and musician, co-editor of this Ozzy Osbourne journal issue

Clive Tonge, filmmaker and Film Production Lecturer

Dan Hudson, creator of the Ozzy Osbourne International Airport campaign

David Gange, Associate Professor in History; lead of the Why Metal Matters project

Gérôme Guibert, Professor in Sociology

Han and Liv of Meatdripper, psychedelic/doom/witch/sludge band, Birmingham

Jasmine Hasel Shadrack, metal musician, researcher, composer, and educator

Jeremy Wallach, Professor of Popular Culture

Jez Collins, founder and director of Birmingham Music Archive

Jim Simpson, the original manager of Earth/Black Sabbath; founder of Big Bear Records

Kath Hogarth, artist manager at 5B (VUKOVI, Artio, Behemoth, Kreator, Malevolence)

Louis Clark Jr, composer, arranger, conductor, performing musician associated with ELO

Mike Exter, Grammy-winning producer/engineer (Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi, Judas Priest)

Peter J Newton, musician, PhD researcher looking at the sonic identity of Jeff Lynne

Poppy Herbert, BCU Ozzy Osbourne Award for Academic Achievement winner 2025

Sally Grant, arts and fashion historian based in Birmingham, PhD researcher

Sam John Jones, freelance photographer from Birmingham focussing on metal music scenes

Tim Mobbs, promoter rep, artist liaison (AL for Black Sabbath on their final show )

Tom O’Boyle, Senior Lecturer; freelance writer for Metal Hammer

With photography contributions from Sam John Jones, Katja Ogrin, Sam Frank Wood and James Thompson

Design by Iain Taylor 

Cover image for the event page by Sam John Jones