DELIGHTED that my Black Sabbath special was last night named Supplement of the Year at the prestigious Midlands Media Awards presented in Sabbath’s hometown Birmingham.

Black Sabbath: The Homecoming was published by the Mirror ahead of the momentous metal spectacular at Villa Park, which saw the band honoured by a who’s who of heavy metal and hard rock, including Metallica, Guns N’Roses and Slayer.

It was, of course, Ozzy Osbourne’s final farewell and he put in an emotional performance both with his own band, and with his Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, despite the infirmities visited upon him by illness and injury.

Sadly, he passed away just weeks later.

When the Villa Park gig was announced, I knew there would be widespread media coverage both here in the UK and around the rest of the world but I wanted something more Birmingham-focused.

I set about securing interviews with band members, managers and promoters to tell their story from a Birmingham perspective, highlighting their roots in, and synergy with, the city. All were generous with their time and support of the project.

Written by me, it was brought to life with brilliant designs by my long-time friend and former colleague Nick Harries, with whom I have worked on all manner of titles including the Birmingham Mail, Sunday Mercury and even the official Gladiators News.

My thanks, too, to Chris Ostick at Reach plc, parent company of the Mirror, who listened patiently to my proposal before green-lighting the special, giving me free rein and overseeing production of the publication, which sold well in the UK and overseas.

Thanks to the Midlands Media Awards judges, who praised the special for its content, readability, use of pictures and for its recognition of the band’s place in Birmingham’s story.

“Superbly written with dynamic design, this supplement goes into real depth as it marks a hugely significant musical moment in the history of Birmingham and the global heavy metal culture it spawned,” they said.

There was high praise, too, from Sabbath guitar icon Tony Iommi, who said: “Fantastic news, Paul! Congratulations my dear friend. You have done so much for Birmingham and, of course, for Sabbath. Thank you. Cheers buddy!”

Last, but not least, of course, my thanks to Black Sabbath themselves for soundtracking a good portion of my life. In the words of one John Michael Osbourne: “Birmingham Forever!”

The Midlands Media Awards, organised by Birmingham Press Club – the oldest press club in the world, established in 1865 – returned for the first time since Covid and were staged in the surrounds of Birmingham’s Burlington Hotel.