Photo by Jim Nankivell
A couple of weeks ago now – apologies for my tardiness but I was working – I continued my journey with the Brum Rocks community project and found myself at The Exchange for a workshop and a talk.
Our very own Birmingham Poet Laureate, Jasmine Gardosi, had been handed the prestigious, yet challenging role to write an anthem for Birmingham, which will be performed at the live event. Tonight, she was in conversation with local hero Jez Collins from the Birmingham Music Archive, who is tasked with charting our musical legacy over the years.
Our dedicated bunch of misfit banditos took the anthem ‘Brummie Steel’ to their hearts instantly and sang it out loud and proud like true believers, reassured and dignified. The chat that followed was an accurate account of music and the arts in general and the importance of this discipline in our world. Referencing all genres including Reggae, Rock, and Bhangra, they expressed their concern and excitement, in both the incredible legacy we have here, and our worries for the future. The wealth of talent, past and present, is immeasurable, we remember the greats that have graced our landscape, and we honour those who have passed. Sadly, at the time of writing I found out about the death of Conrad Kelly, of Steel Pulse and UB40, the veritable beating heart of Birmingham’s Reggae scene. Jez Collins has affirmed their work and standing in the archive, and their position in an industry that is more snakes than ladders. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
We discuss how it is that only some artists or genres garner the most attention, and others are left behind. As a community we need to get together and try and resolve any issues before we lose our most treasured legacy. We have certainly secured our epitaph, but it is a matter of not letting complacency set in. We move forward with the new generation of artists to shape a brighter tomorrow.
Jasmine concurred, as an adopted Brummie, she is passionate about our heritage, our grit, our determination and our resilience. She is propelled by our spirit of adventure, and it is empowering to hear her talk so candidly of her experiences. She uses her insight to bear witness to our struggles, our endeavours, she sees the blood, the sweat and the tears and she encompasses all of these attributes into ‘Brummie Steel’ a bold and unwavering salute to our history. A galvanic composition that is built to last, toughing it out and standing tall in a musical landscape that can feel saturated and quite claustrophobic at times.
An interesting and immersive evening, celebrating what we hold dear, for now I will leave you with this,
For a man no sober
He could be worth his weight in gold,
There is no true democracy
If the truth be told.
The Handsworth revolution, soldiers steppin’ out,
A crisis on this earth, we need to rally round.
If I’m not black enough
For this brown eyed girl,
Mass manipulation
Is the scourge of our world.
On roller skates, a wild goose chase
Reggae fever is all the rage,
Coursing through my veins
Beating hearts to ascertain
Compose yourself like steel, like stone
Our sanity, our sanctity, a blueprint for society,
Feel my pulse and you’ll never feel alone.
Azra Pathan
Brum Rocks – The Exchange 23rd May 2023 RIP Conrad Kelly.