“This is a very ephemeral object from the very early days of heavy metal; a poster that was hand-made and designed to be pasted up and torn down once the evening was over.
The fact that it has survived for 40 years demonstrates just how important the movement was to a lot of people. These aren’t things that are usually displayed in museums, but there’s no doubt they are pieces of our cultural heritage.
One of the things that define people is their taste in music and this is particularly true for heavy metal. It wasn’t something that you left behind when you hit your 30s; it’s a lifelong commitment and once you’re in – and the patches are sewn on to your denim jacket – you’re in.
Heavy metal was invented in Birmingham and Black Sabbath, who came from Aston, was its first successful band. After losing the tips of two fingers in an industrial accident, guitarist Tony Iommi had to alter his playing style and a heavier sound was born.
From there, the Home of Metal exhibition explores the contributions of two more local heavyweights: Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford remembers being at school and watching the walls shake to the sound of metal hammers in the foundries.
And Napalm Death created a whole new sub-genre of metal which was all about speed and the shouting of very personal, political lyrics. These bands are known throughout the world and they all came from this region, but Birmingham and the West Midlands haven’t always been keen on the link.
There was a fear factor of what it all means: the imagery, mythology and the links to the occult, which were all pretty tongue-in-cheek. But now it’s time to celebrate its global impact.
All the Home of Metal events grew out of an appeal that was made four years ago for people’s memorabilia and stories; so many came forward and we have some amazing original costumes and stage sets on show.
This poster was lent to us by a guy called Krusher who says his life was changed by the Malvern gig. He later went on to present a TV programme about heavy metal in the 1980s while his graphic design work included record sleeves for former Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne.
Visitors to the exhibition can also dream of stardom by plugging in the supplied guitars and banging out their favourite riffs. They’ll all be wearing headphones, though, so they don’t bother other people in the museum.”
The Home of Metal exhibition runs at the Gas Hall until 25 September. Additional Home of Metal events, conferences and film programmes are running at venues across the region, including Wolverhampton Art Gallery and the New Art Gallery Walsall
Tom Grosvenor is the exhibitions officer at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
The fact that it has survived for 40 years demonstrates just how important the movement was to a lot of people. These aren’t things that are usually displayed in museums, but there’s no doubt they are pieces of our cultural heritage.
One of the things that define people is their taste in music and this is particularly true for heavy metal. It wasn’t something that you left behind when you hit your 30s; it’s a lifelong commitment and once you’re in – and the patches are sewn on to your denim jacket – you’re in.
Heavy metal was invented in Birmingham and Black Sabbath, who came from Aston, was its first successful band. After losing the tips of two fingers in an industrial accident, guitarist Tony Iommi had to alter his playing style and a heavier sound was born.
From there, the Home of Metal exhibition explores the contributions of two more local heavyweights: Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford remembers being at school and watching the walls shake to the sound of metal hammers in the foundries.
And Napalm Death created a whole new sub-genre of metal which was all about speed and the shouting of very personal, political lyrics. These bands are known throughout the world and they all came from this region, but Birmingham and the West Midlands haven’t always been keen on the link.
There was a fear factor of what it all means: the imagery, mythology and the links to the occult, which were all pretty tongue-in-cheek. But now it’s time to celebrate its global impact.
All the Home of Metal events grew out of an appeal that was made four years ago for people’s memorabilia and stories; so many came forward and we have some amazing original costumes and stage sets on show.
This poster was lent to us by a guy called Krusher who says his life was changed by the Malvern gig. He later went on to present a TV programme about heavy metal in the 1980s while his graphic design work included record sleeves for former Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne.
Visitors to the exhibition can also dream of stardom by plugging in the supplied guitars and banging out their favourite riffs. They’ll all be wearing headphones, though, so they don’t bother other people in the museum.”
The Home of Metal exhibition runs at the Gas Hall until 25 September. Additional Home of Metal events, conferences and film programmes are running at venues across the region, including Wolverhampton Art Gallery and the New Art Gallery Walsall
Tom Grosvenor is the exhibitions officer at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery