At the Mermaid: Punk, Grindcore and Napalm Death in 1980s Birmingham

The Mermaid was a large, dilapidated pub in Sparkhill, a working-class neighbourhood 3 miles south of Birmingham city centre. The Mermaid was vital to the early days of the band Napalm Death and the creation of a new heavy metal subgenre: Grindcore.
There was a lack of live music culture in Birmingham in the 1980s, and there weren’t many places where a band could reliably get regular gigs, develop its sound, experiment, and build a reputation. The Mermaid was a vital space for the underground music scene.
Regulars to the Mermaid speak of the impressive range of underground music showcased at the pub. Indie bands like Primal Scream, post-punk bands Au Pairs and World Domination Enterprises, experimental rock band Swans, early gigs for Chumbawumba, and even reggae and free festival dance music. However, only Napalm Death could claim the ‘house band’ status at the Mermaid.
The impact of this short-lived scene in the 1980s is still profoundly felt. People had found lifelong friends, and the music continued sending sonic shockwaves worldwide.
In this film, we interview Matthew Knight and Tim Richardson, Mermaid regulars; Justin Broadrick, Member of Napalm Death and Godflesh; Nicholas Bullen, Founding Member of Napalm Death Nicholas Bullen and Sarah Lafford, Lead Researcher at Home of Metal.
The songs "Instinct of Survival", "Scum", "Siege of Power", and "You Suffer", written by Michael John Harris, Nicholas James Bullen and Justin Karl Michael Broadrick, performed by Napalm Death, are included courtesy of ‪@earacherecords‬ Ltd / Earache Songs (UK) Ltd.
Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/AtTheMe...
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Midlands-based music heritage project Home of Metal celebrates the music born from Birmingham’s metal-bashing industries: heavy metal. Just as Manchester and Liverpool proudly celebrate their music history, Birmingham is beginning to own its metal heritage.
In 2023, we funded Home of Metal to work with people who were part of the Mermaid scene in the 1980s as part of the Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories.
The project gathered stories, ephemera, and memories from fans, musicians, and promoters to create a 4-part podcast and a zine publication. Because if you were a fan of this music, you had to be at the Mermaid.
Find out more about our Everyday Heritage Grants ➡️ bit.ly/Everyda...
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[@heritagecurios3196]

It's fascinating to see the connection between our historic buildings and the communities they're for. What a great project!

[@HistoricEngland]

Thank you, we completely agree!

[@absoluteward7811]

Not anymore

[@LauraSquirrel]

As a kid who grew up in the cornfields of the Midwestern U.S., this is so awesome to watch. Napalm Death changed my life from December of 90' to May of '91 as I got most of their material (except for the "Peel Sessions). I was turned on to so much of the UK scene from the "Scum" thanks list.

[@bessallin459]

I used to buy tapes from darren russell recorded from sound desk, great recordings which i still have to this day

[@SiddenyPsychoKiller]

I've still got a few tapes off Daz brought at the Mermaid

[@bessallin459]

@@SiddenyPsychoKiller always good quality I’ve seen a few uploads on KZbin

[@andymiles6311]

I saw one of, if not the first Napalm Death gigs at Dorridge at STPhilips church hall,supported by Nobody's Heroes.A SLF tribute band.

[@haxan6663]

The Mermaid was a dump. Absolutely loved it!

[@jas31937]

Early Napalm Death is a favorite. If I had to trim my music collection to 20 albums SCUM and the Hatred Surge LPs would be the first I would choose. 💀🎧

[@paulacooke5466]

Great film!

[@HistoricEngland]

Thanks!

[@ShaneDabinett]

I used to set up a stall there selling fanzines, tapes and records. Awesome times.

[@notsosmartmart5402]

Darren Russell was the Architect

[@Pogelpunk]

Not metal - punk

[@earacherecords]

What a special time and place this was! Thank you for documenting the scene.🤘

[@mr_ozzio5095]

The Fog and Toad in Bradford closed about 1990 too, another classic rock/metal/punk venue! Bolt Thrower and all the sorts of other bands played there through the 80s, John Peel used to turn up from time to time! Plus he loved Curry, the other thing Bradfords famous for...🍛

[@grindnoisegorecore]

Thank you Earache for not helping JPM

[@AngloSaks666]

I''m not sure how many times I was there. I can remember 3 gigs specifically. Swans, Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, and DRI/Holy Terror (I ended up roadying for HT by chance circumstances; also remember talking to Darren Russel outside that night, who I used to exchange mail with a bit, via I think me connecting him with a Brazilian touring band who contacted us at random). The place was dingy, soggy, yet cool in that very down to earth way, and, it's true, I was starting to tire of the dirge and dirt of the scene mid 80s, so it's natural a lot of the stuff there didn't attract me too much, but Swans, of course, CCM due to some connection, and was pleasantly surprised by them, and DRI made perfect sense for me too, being very much into the US more energetic and stripped down, passionate kind of hardcore, not so much the dirty, drunken UK dirgy blasts. Holy Terror I'd never heard of before bumping into them on a boat, but they were kind of cool for a speed metal band. I remember the Circle Jerks played there, and I was going to go, but something stopped me.

[@saintcaprinus5658]

Swans were life changing at the Mermaid, my ears still hurt to remember it. Jim Thirwell was wasted before he even got up to play.

[@mattgoodchild8215]

Yes I remember Napalm in the very very early Dayz in the Barrel organ before they even had a name and indeed as with a lot of other bands we where pals I was fronting The lost Boyz at the time Such fantastic times with memories I shall never forget although I don’t remember most of it hahaha 🍻🍻🍻🍻🤘🏽🎸👍🏼 fantastic video thank you 👍🏼

[@dave13dc]

It’s true, there was a boiling scene but now, in Birmingham there’s nothing. Absolutely nothing.

[@rosaryboy4271]

the pub is still going !!!

[@donnataylor7401]

The Rock Against Racism gigs here were always a great night. Saw a young Benjamin Zephanaiah perform at one. The place had it's own atmosphere, along with Digbeth Civic Hall and the Tower Ballroom, my most memorable nights out were at the Mermaid.

[@billkosses3808]

5:07 Nick Royles?

[@seanmclaughlin992]

Same at the Hand and Heart in Coventry around 1985-87, promoted by Lee who became Napalm Death's 'vocalist'. Hearing Napalm Death change to playing incredibly fast for the first time, what the hell! Years later I realised I'd bumped into Dave Grohl one night, playing with his band before Nirvana! But it wasn't metal, the crowds were very different then, it was still punk.

[@AngloSaks666]

Yeah, these two venues go together for me, being around the same time, me going a good few times to each, and people overlapping too. I guess I'd maybe include Bath Place in Leamington Spa too. The first time I saw the 'new' Napalm Death was supporting Antisect, '86 I guess, or was it '87 at the Hand in Heart, and then bumped into Lee at the station afterwards, so travelled on the train together for some way. Would then see him around. Oh, yeah, and I guess Scream would have played at the Mermaid. Though I saw them on the previous tour, before Dave Grohl joined them.

[@hennoxxx]

if you ask me, the "metal scene" hijacked a bunch of good (harder) punk bands, i.e. carcass, napalm death, sacrilege, even bolt thrower. it might be filed under metal today, but started in "our" culture.

[@BenMillar-y9e]

I met Lee a few times during my teenage years in '80's Cov, and a few times since. He was, and still is, good friends with my friend, Russell Haswell. Coincidentally, seeing as this clip was recommended to me today, I met a bloke last night called Liam Watson, and we were talking about Lee as he's currently in a music project with him.

[@adamkwiecien5489]

Interesting event took place at Hand & Heart in Coventry sometime at the turn of 1986/1987: Nic Bullen asked Shane Embury to join Napalm Death in that pub. It was between recording of A & B side of "Scum". Shane initially agreed, but later he somehow "chickened out" and didn't do it. This is how he lost the chance to be the only musician to play on all ND albums :) He regrets it to this day.

[@seanmclaughlin992]

I"m pretty sure Lee joined them at the Hand and Heart one night and his vocal style was because he didn't know the words!

[@Andy19212]

Went the DRI gig if I remember they turned up in a fancy tour bus aspiring rock stars lol

[@markwright130]

I saw here and now in the mermaid and my brother and girlfriend both passed out due to the heat and overcrowding

[@FireMoon42]

Tubilah DoG played there several times, it was a centre for all sorts of none mainstream music.

[@PaulHanney]

I live not too far away from the Mermaid. A shame to see how the place has gone.

[@americangothic1313]

sore throat?

[@billkosses3808]

Punk is not heavy metal

[@bessallin459]

It crossed over with bands like discharge hence thrash metal

[@AngloSaks666]

You're right, but the cheaper, maybe more drunken, ends of each fell conveniently into each other's arms and tolerated each other, and gradually intertwined into a few other related mini-monsters, like crust punk, grindcore, etc.

[@billkosses3808]

@@bessallin459 Thanks for explaining

[@AVANTRecords]

It is

[@Alvarius_official]

Yer well, heavy metal is not punk!

[@adamkwiecien5489]

Legendary place!

[@HistoricEngland]

Indeed!

[@HARRYYZ125]

Napalm death ..had to listen to that crap every single time i went ...