Stourbridge artist Cal pays tribute to heavy metal band that influenced Metallica with latest art project

A Stourbridge artist who is keeping the town’s musical heritage alive through a series of striking murals has started on his latest tribute.

Multi-media artist Cal has painted the murals of legendary 90s chart stars Pop Will Eat Itself, The Wonder Stuff and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, all of whom have strong links to Stourbridge, on prominent walls around the town.

He’s also painted a tribute in one of Stourbridge’s subways to up and coming act Gans who recently signed to Pete Doherty's record label and have played nationwide to sell out audiences.

The artwork has gone down a treat with locals and music fans from far and wide, some of whom have travelled some distance to check out the work.

Now Cal’s onto his next project - and it’s heavy metal band Diamond Head’s turn to be commemorated through a piece of art.

The band was formed in Stourbridge in 1976 by Brian Tatler, and schoolfriends Duncan Scott, Sean Harris and Colin Kimberly, and they were part of a new wave of British heavy metal music at the time - credited with influencing the early sounds of Metallica and Megadeath.

Cal said: “Diamond Head were a late 70s/early 80s very influential heavy metal band that influenced the likes of Metallica. They had quite a few really popular albums, they’re a very influential band.

“Stourbridge has got so much music heritage in one small town that it just seemed to make sense to try and celebrate that a little bit.

“We’ve got a really rich history of music culture. It’s been a very bohemian town since the 60s. It’s a really good place to be for a creative person.”

Next up Cal’s hoping to pay tribute to Led Zeppelin superstar Robert Plant, who went to school in Stourbridge and lives in Worcestershire - often attending local events.

He is also keen to acknowledge some of the town’s younger musicians too and has already honoured Gans with his work but he has others in mind that are worthy of recognition.

The murals feature on a new Stourbridge Art Map, created by illustrator Stacy Hammond and Cal with funds secured by Stourbridge BID, and there’ll be an exhibition about it at Cal’s Future Rebel art gallery in Canal Street, Stourbridge, on May 22.