Stourbridge music heritage to be celebrated in new artworks

Multi-media artist Cal wants to create permanent artistic tributes to the bands that put Stourbridge on the musical map in the 1990s.

He said: “Music is a massive part of my life and has inspired my artwork from the very beginning. As a young artist I was also heavily influenced by the artwork of this music culture and that can still be seen within my artwork today. This is a great opportunity for me to give back to my community and combine my two loves in life – art and music.”

Adam Mole, from Pop Will Eat Itself, said of the project: “In the late 80’s Stourbridge was a vibrant place fuelled by the talented youth of the art college and a generation looking for something new following the post-punk music era.

“Pop Will Eat Itself, The Wonder Stuff and Neds Atomic Dustbin were a product of the environment, in part The Mere, The Mitre, The Turf and The Swan, sharing vibes, laughs, common ground, equipment and stages across the world.

“The three ‘Stourbridge bands’ as we became known, initially propelled by the generous support from Sam at JB’s Dudley, achieved a combined 29 top 40 singles and 13 top 40 albums.

“This idea to re-ignite those memories is the brainchild of the artist Cal and I’m totally thrilled to be a small part of this amazing project in my hometown of Stourbridge.”

Miles Hunt, from The Wonder Stuff, said: “The friends I met in Stourbridge in the early 1980s launched me into a dream life that I would still be dreaming about had I not moved to the area back then. It will always be an incredibly special place for me.”

Alex Griffin, from Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, added: “We are thrilled to be working with Cal on this opportunity to celebrate the town’s musical heritage, with artwork for ourselves – Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and our Stourbridge stablemates and friends – Pop Will Eat Itself and The Wonder Stuff. “

Ring road facing businesses Direct 2 Print in Foster Street and The Bridge House children’s centre in New Road have already offered to donate wall space for the project but Cal is on the lookout for a third location.

Steve Jones, from Direct 2 Print, said: “I am so excited to be a part of this project and to be able to supply a blank canvas for Cal.

“Stourbridge is my hometown and I am proud of its fantastic past in the creative industries and hope this amazing art by Cal will inspire the next generation.”

Cal aims to reproduce the logos of the three bands on Stourbridge buildings to serve as a permanent tribute to the town’s music and art culture, with work expected to get underway in November.

He would also like to incorporate tributes to Diamond Head and rock legend Robert Plant.

Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles MP said: “Stourbridge is well-known for producing a wealth of musical talent over time, and what better way to honour that than through the medium of art. I’m so pleased to see this project going ahead and I’m glad to be able to support Cal once again and brighten up the local area in the process.”

Anyone with suitable wall space in Stourbridge and keen to be involved with the project can get in touch with Cal via calsartwork.com or @cal.artist.