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Made of Birmingham

Birmingham invented heavy metal but it's also the home of Steel Pulse, The Streets, Swim Deep and Duran Duran. Emily Pilbeam meets Swim Deep and visits the Hare and Hounds.

Few cities have had such a big impact on the global music scene as Birmingham. The home of Black Sabbath who invented heavy metal but also bands from every genre in music like Led Zeppelin, The Streets, Duran Duran and UB40.

The B-town scene in the early 2010's was propelled by bands like Swim Deep, Peace and Jaws who brought Indie music back to its roots. Emily Pilbeam meets Austin from Swim Deep to hear why the city has spawned such varied music styles. At the Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath the variety of music in the city is reflected. Emily visits the beautiful old venue to hear how Birmingham is a city of diverse sounds and people who love music.

Produced in Birmingham by True Thought Productions for BBC Radio 6 Music Indie Forever.

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2 hours

On radio

Thu 12 Nov 2026 20:00
BBC Radio 6 Indie Forever

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Music Played

  • The Streets

    Has It Come To This?

    • Original Pirate Material.
    • 679.

  • Swim Deep

    Honey

    • Chess Club/RCA.

  • Laura Mvula

    Green Garden

  • Ocean Colour Scene

    The Riverboat Song

    • (CD Single).
    • MCA.
    • 3.

  • Editors

    Munich

    • Kitchenware.

  • Black Sabbath

    Paranoid

    • Million Sellers Vol.18 - The Seventie.
    • Disky.

  • JAWS

    Gold

    • JAWS.

  • The Streets

    Turn the Page

    • Original Pirate Material.
    • 679.

  • Peace

    California Daze

  • Swim Deep

    King City

    • CHESS CLUB/RCA.

  • BIG SPECIAL

    Black Dog / White Horse (6 Music Session, 27 Jan 2025)

  • GANS

    DO YOU GLOW?

    • Strap Originals.

  • The Wonder Stuff

    The Size Of A Cow

    • Now 1991 - The Millennium Series.
    • Now.

  • Au Pairs

    We're So Cool

    • Castle Communications.

  • Led Zeppelin

    Whole Lotta Love

    • ATLANTIC.

  • Bentley Rhythm Ace

    Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out

    • Parlophone.

  • overpass

    3AM

    • Communion Records.

  • King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

    Rattlesnake

    • Flying Microtonal Banana.
    • Heavenly.

  • Confidence Man

    Boyfriend

    • Boyfriend.
    • Heavenly Recordings.
    • 1.

  • Total Luck

    Ramble

    • Independent.

  • Fine Young Cannibals

    Good Thing

    • The Raw & The Cooked.
    • London.

  • The Twang

    Barney Rubble

    • Barney Rubble.
    • WM UK.
    • 1.

  • Broadcast

    I Found The F

    • Warp Records.

  • overpass

    Fall In Love

    • Communion Records.

  • Dexys Midnight Runners

    Geno

    • NOW That's What I Call Timeless - The Eternal Collection (Various Artists).
    • Now.
    • 5.

  • Led Zeppelin

    Communication Breakdown (Radio 1 Session, 3 Mar 1969)

Broadcasts

  • Tuesday 20:00
    BBC Radio 6 Indie Forever
  • Thu 12 Nov 2026 20:00
    BBC Radio 6 Indie Forever