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Black Sabbath pub becomes Grade II listed
The Crown Inn in Birmingham, the pub where the band that would become Black Sabbath first performed, has been listed as a Grade II building.
The band, which was known as Earth at the time, performed in the upstairs part of the pub, known as Henry’s Blueshouse, in 1968, two years before their debut album, also called Black Sabbath.
The site itself is considered by many to be the cradle of heavy metal music. Other bands to have performed there include Judas Priest and several of Robert Plant’s bands from before the formation of Led Zeppelin.
The pub opened approximately a century before these gigs, and was known as the General Elliott. It would prove to be something a pioneering place in the UK music scene, being one of the few pubs in the 1960s to have a live music licence.
The listing, undertaken by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England, means that the building is protected from alteration or demolition due to its special historical significance.
“Cities all over the UK are protecting their musical heritage, Birmingham shouldn’t be left behind,” said Birmingham-born Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. “The Crown has huge significance to us and many other successful acts. It was one of very few venues that supported the emerging rock scene with a blues club and was home to our first ever gig.”
Iommi would briefly leave the band after the gig to join Jethro Tull.
“Heavy Metal is a gift Birmingham gave to the world and The Crown is an integral part of that story,” added Historic England’s regional director for the midlands, Louise Brennan.
The pub has been vacant since 2014.
Jez Collins, founder of the Birmingham Music Archive, celebrated the news of the listing, but said: “We need to ensure The Crown re-opens, we need to bring it back to life as a cultural venue, a music venue and a place people will want to visit.”
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