The birth of Heavy Metal celebrated in a Baroque Garden!
July 4th,1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
£6.00
The Birth of Heavy Metal reflected in our Baroque Garden.
Here at the Gardens we like to reflect on and celebrate the amazing musical heritage around us.
Pop genius Jeff Lynne used to play in these Gardens as a young teenager which we’ve celebrated; but for 2 days on July 4th and 6th we’re going to feature the very birth of Heavy Metal.
In 1968 on Bristol Street Birmingham a piano store known as Vincent Ladbrooke Pianos hosted the first incarnation of Zella Studios at the rear of their old piano repair workshop.
A band called ‘Earth’ came to record there, then went to Regent Sound studios in London for further recording but disappointed by the results there, they returned to Zella for their third recording session. It was the tracks from this session that resulted in their recording deal. Over the time of the three sessions they changed their name to ‘Black Sabbath’.
Some of the equipment from Zella Studios has been located by a supporter of the Gardens who is lending them to us for just two days in July.
We’ll have the microphone that Ozzy first recorded through, some of the mixing desk and the two Revox tape machines that caught the Magic
see the article on the BBC news site about the discovery https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c706d3k8ky2o
All these will be viewable in our marvellous 18th century Music Room, which just happens to be a perfect photo location. The next time this mic appears in public it will probably be behind a glass screen in a museum so this is likely to be the only chance ever to be really close to it in person.
As well as the original equipment there’ll be a couple of music industry characters in attendance to bring some first hand accounts of the times along with an appropriate soundtrack.
This is likely to be a very popular event so early booking is advised, see the link below for tickets.
Reserve your ticket here.
(Ticket includes entry to the Gardens all day and reserves a spot in the Music Room) .
Donations supporting this unique event welcome on the day.
