Birmingham's Mermaid pub: The Sparkhill venue that helped create a music subgenre explored in new documentary

Birmingham has long been known as the birthplace of heavy metal thanks to Black Sabbath, but the city’s influence on music goes much further.

Sabbath played their first gigs at The Crown pub opposite New Street Station, but another venue, just 3 miles south of the city centre also played a huge role in the UK’s musical culture.

Located on the Stratford Road in Sparkhill, The Mermaid’s live music scene in the 1980s was typified by anarcho-punk, hippies, and animal rights activism – not very heavy metal at first glance.

The Mermaid was a large, dilapidated pub in Sparkhill that became known for its live music scene. The Mermaid was vital to the early days of the band Napalm Death and the creation of a new metal subgenre: Grindcore.

This metal-punk crossover Grindcore was steeped in a do-it-yourself (DIY) culture, typified by fanzines, hand-drawn leaflets, and bootleg cassettes.

The Mermaid appeared on dozens of these leaflets and zines, advertising all-day shows for free or as little as £1, and it’s the venue where Napalm Death began their career.

The impact of this short-lived scene in the 1980s is still profoundly felt. People had found lifelong friends, and the music continued to send sonic shockwaves worldwide.

Today, Grindcore is a worldwide phenomenon. Napalm Death continue to be one of the biggest and most influential metal bands of all time.

Historic England has produced a film examining the venue and its cultural impact.

You can watch Historic England’s short documentary on the pub, here.