Who is Banksy?
Banksy is one of the most mysterious and influential street artists of our time. His true identity remains unknown, yet his work—marked by sharp social criticism, political messages, and a rebellious spirit—has earned him worldwide fame. Emerging from UK Bristol’s underground graffiti scene, Banksy has evolved from a street artist into a cultural icon whose works now sell for millions of dollars. Despite this, he maintains a strong anti-capitalist stance.
Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham in Their Shadow
When talking about the United Kingdom and music, the first cities that come to mind are Manchester and Liverpool. However, Birmingham, the birthplace of heavy metal and home to legendary bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and half of Led Zeppelin, as well as Electric Light Orchestra and Duran Duran, has unfortunately remained in the shadow of these two cities.
Among the cities that shaped modern music, Liverpool emerged in the 1960s with The Beatles and the Merseybeat movement, while Manchester became the center of post-punk, Britpop, and alternative rock. Located just 56 km apart, these two cities stood out by leading the evolution of British music.
The Dark World Reflected in Music
Let us now listen to the story of the birth of heavy metal music through the memories of Geezer Butler:
“In 1969, we wrote our first song, Wicked World, at The Railway Pub in Birmingham. We only had one chance, and the pub owner was not very fond of our loud music. Our song, which spoke of the dark and grim aspects of life, had absolutely nothing to do with the trendy ‘Flower Children’ and their music of the time:
The world today is such a wicked place
Fighting going on between the human race
People go to work just to earn their bread
While people just across the sea are counting their dead.
“Understanding the music Black Sabbath makes, begins with understanding Aston.” Güzin Paksoylu
Aston: The Neighborhood Where Black Sabbath Is Born
All the members of the Black Sabbath band are from the low-income blue-collar factory workers neighborhood of Aston in Birmingham. The texture of the neighborhood where Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler would invent heavy metal music, permeates the sound of Black Sabbath, their album covers and their lyrics. Understanding the music Black Sabbath makes, begins with understanding Aston.
Decoding Birmingham
Birmingham. The industrial and musical city of the United Kingdom, where the first fire of the Industrial Revolution burned, where the Watt Steam Engine was invented, where many fields of science such as physics, chemistry and biology flourished and where many genres of music emerged including heavy metal. It is a city to which I feel an unusual feeling of belonging, where I followed the footsteps of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, the greatest storyteller of all time, linguist and literary figure, creator of the legendary Lord of the Rings myth, who grew up in Birmingham and created an entire mythology.
In October, I have met with Birmingham Music Archive Founder and Director Jez Collins in Birmingham. We have spoken about music which characterizes the city, another important factor that defines Birmingham, apart from industry,
On the evening of September 12, 2024, a name that evoked a whirlwind of indescribable emotions passed through Istanbul: IAMX. This solo music project, founded in London in 2002 by Chris Corner—formerly of the British trip-hop band Sneaker Pimps—draws on the experimentalism of visual arts while encompassing various musical genres such as electronic rock, dance, burlesque, and ballads.
** METAL ODA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW **
Progressive rock monsters Jethro Tull are meeeting their Turkish fans two years later with The Seven Decades Istanbul concert. Combining hard rock, jazz fusion, classical music and folk influences, the Grammy winners Jethro Tull, are pioneers of progressive rock music, with more than 60 million albums sold worldwide. The legendary the leader and mastermind of Jethro Tull, Ian Anderson identifies İstanbul with the band’s music: “I think Jethro Tull’s music is somewhat timeless, not bound to any specific musical fashion. Isn’t your city like that too? A timeless city.”
Sotiris Anunnaki V. from the symphonic death metal band SEPTICFLESH spoke to Metal Oda on the verge of their İstanbul concert to be held on February 16, 2024. The concert venue is IF Beşiktaş and the concert is organized by Vera Müzik and Black Label Events.
Jonas Renkse, founder and lead vocalist of Swedish metal band KATATONIA spoke to Metal Oda on the verge of their SKY VOID OF STARS TOUR İstanbul concert to be held on January 20th, 2024.
Birmingham: the birthplace of heavy metal music, where the legendary bands Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Duran Duran were formed and where the greatest story teller and philologist J.R.R Tolkien was raised.. The second major UK city where the industrial revolution started and which has seen the birth of Watt Steam Engine. Some members of the famous rock band Led Zeppelin and metal bands Napalm Death and Godflesh all originate from Birmingham, not forgetting UB40 and Steve Winwood.
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