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Metalworking has been central to the rise and success of Birmingham over hundreds of years. But how has this industry affected the culture of the city? Did the experience of working with metal and hearing the continuous clang of metal-on-metal seep into the personality and creativity of Birmingham’s inhabitants?

Gregory Leadbetter’s poem traces this story from the discovery of ore in the Staffordshire hills, through the Staffordshire Hoard, the Birmingham Pieces from the Knights Templar, the establishment and development of Birmingham as a great metalworking centre becoming the Toyshop of the World, the development of steam power by Matthew Boulton, being the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and the City of a Thousand Trades, all the way to the birth of Heavy Metal Music.

Those involved:

Metal City Poem written by award-winning poet Gregory Leadbetter, Professor of Poetry at Birmingham City University. Greg’s grandfather was a toolmaker in Birmingham and his surname signals an older family connection to metalworking in times long past.

Sound designer Joseph Ockford. Pretty much all of Joe’s male relatives and ancestors work or worked in the metal industry in the West Midlands.

Metal City Poem read by award-winning performance poet Spoz (Giovanni Esposito), a former worker in the Longbridge car factory.
Director, Stream of Sound Choir, Caroline Price. Caroline’s great-grandfather was an edge toolmaker from Nechells, Birmingham.

Stream of Sound was one of the first UK folk choirs. Based in Stourbridge, they have a particular interest in the folk music of the West Midlands.

Artistic Director and founder of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ of Metal, Lisa Meyer.

Sculptor Sir Antony Gormley who created his iconic IRON:MAN for Birmingham’s city centre.

Radio announcer Adrian Goldberg.

Historians:
Professor Carl Chinn MBE, whose maternal grandparents were a grinder and power press worker, and whose mother was a capstan operator.
Dr David Symons, formerly a curator at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Musician and Music Historian Dr Matthew Price whose great grandfather was an edge tool maker in Oldbury.
Jo-Ann Curtis, curator of history at Birmingham Museums Trust
Dr Felicity McWilliams, curator of science and industry at Birmingham Museums Trust.

Readings:
The Hugh Miller extract is read by Michael Toolan, Emeritus Professor of English Language at Birmingham University and member of the City of Birmingham Choir.
The extract from David Lodge’s novel Nice Work (set in a fictional Midlands university) is read by Dr Deirdre Burton who was a colleague in the English Department at Birmingham University.

Vocal Music:
‘Ommer ‘Ommer ‘Ommer – a nail maker’s verse set to music by Caroline Price. Sung by Stream of Sound.
Final Chorus of Mendelssohn’s Oratorio Elijah, famously premiered in August 1846 in Birmingham’s Town Hall.
Song of Steam – a Birmingham broadside ballad set to an old Hymn tune and arranged by Caroline Price. Sung by Stream of Sound.
Metal City – a specially composed song based on the old Jack of All Trades broadside ballads. Words and music by Caroline and Matt Price. Sung by Stream of Sound.

Metal City is a co-commission between ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3 and The Space with funding from Arts Council England. It’s a collaboration with Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. And special thanks to Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery for metal facilities.

Producer Melvin Rickarby, grandson of a metal worker and whose dad moved from the metal factory to the steel strings of the bass guitar.
Producer Rosie Boulton, great great granddaughter of a brass maker.

A Must Try Softer Production

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