Black Sabbath Reincarnation

Summer events to honour Midland heavy metal legends, including Black Sabbath ...

But – most importantly – it’s the sound of the Midlands.

It was here, in this loud and proud location, that rock music’s most ear-numbing noise was first forged, before being fired upon an unsuspecting world.

First there were bands like Led Zeppelin, with local heroes such as Robert Plant and John Bonham.

It’s debatable weather the Zep were truly Metal, though their energy, musical virtuosity, loud instruments and raspy vocals helped set the template.

At roughly the same time Black Sabbath formed.

For many fans they are the ultimate Metal marauders, and are often sited by magazines as the greatest band of the genre.

Fast, loud and uncompromising. Though with a quiet, self-effacing, gently-crooning chap behind the mike.

Ozzy (Bat-chomper) Osbourne was his name. Not quite the reincarnation of Noel Coward.

Something new and gnarly had been born in Brum. And the world would never be the same.

Later came other mighty Midland Metal merchants, including Judas Priest and Napalm Death.

Vitriolic vocals. Gritty guitars. Glory days.

Now Heavy Metal is coming home.

A series of events across the region are celebrating this most raucous style of rock.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is holding an exhibition called Home Of Metal: 40 Years Of Heavy Metal And Its Unique Birthplace.

It brings together previously unseen memorabilia borrowed from hardcore fans. They will be placed alongside iconic items such as Black Sabbath’s infamous Mob Rules stage cross, Judas Priest costumes and handwritten Napalm Death lyrics.

The show also explores the ingredients that made Heavy Metal in the first place. That means looking at our region’s industrial heritage, along with its passion for early blues-rock.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery is also getting in on the act with, You Should Be Living – The Visual Language Of Heavy Metal.

The exhibition will display the works of a range of artists inspired by Heavy Metal.

Meanwhile, the New Art Gallery Walsall, the Walsall Leather Museum, Dudley Museum & Art Gallery, and other local institutes of learning will be holding special events to celebrate the sound that woke-up the world.

The series of events was instigated by Birmingham-based Capsule, an award-winning organisation that curates and presents live music.

Lisa Meyer, one of the co-directors of Capsule, explained how the idea came to fruition.

Black Sabbath reincarnated at Berns « The Dear Jean Journal

The Dear Jean Journal attended the Wolfmother gig Monday night, February 1st, at Berns Salonger in Stockholm. Despite of highly set expectations, I was truly blown away. Here comes this old school rock n roll band from Sydney, Australia, with flawless seventies looks and a perfect Black Sabbath sound you could only dream about in 2010. Not only is Wolfmother the coolest band name in present time, they produce the best seventies rock n roll sound since … well, since the seventies.

Sure, the metal clichés are present at all time. However, it’s pretty much impossible not to surrender to this band. Wolfmother is more or less flowing over of enthusiasm and the sound is rich, wild and heavy. The self entitled debut album from 2005 borrowed covetously from metal pioneers as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer. Composer, singer and lead guitarist Andrew Stockdale was born in the mid seventies, yet he sounds like he was there in that time, side by side with these giants. One can imagine the Tony Iommi posters on the childhood walls.

However, it’s not always for the better. The solos are never uninspired but occasionally they leave you hoping for something more. And some sessions may have been a bit too long to keep the interest at a constant high level. Nevertheless, the frenetic sound is very effective and the contact with the audience is intense at all time.

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