Absolutely Buzzing! Birmingham Artist Shares Powerful Tribute to Black Sabbath History with Jim Simpson Encounter…

The spirit of heavy metal’s birthplace is alive and thrumming in Birmingham once again—this time, through the hands of a local artist whose love for the genre runs as deep as the city’s own industrial roots. A recent encounter between Birmingham-born artist [Artist’s Name], and Jim Simpson—the legendary first manager of Black Sabbath—has fans and locals alike buzzing with pride.

“It was a full-circle moment,” the artist said, still glowing from the experience. “To have someone like Jim, who was there at the very beginning, holding one of my collage prints—it just meant the world.”

The photo in question captures Simpson, now in his 80s, smiling warmly while holding a meticulously crafted print made by the artist, who currently lives and works part-time near Aston Villa’s home ground. The piece blends photography, paper textures, and iconic Sabbath imagery with a focus on the band’s early roots in Birmingham.

But this wasn’t just another print. This work was personal.

“I actually walked up to Lodge Road where Jim used to live,” the artist shared. “I took a photo of the house because it felt essential to ground this piece in real Brummie history. I wanted to honour where it all began—not just with the band, but with the people and places that helped shape them.”

The house on Lodge Road, a now modest-looking terrace, played an outsized role in rock history. From there, Jim Simpson would guide a young group of working-class lads from Aston into the global spotlight under a name that would change music forever: Black Sabbath.

For the artist, the journey began not with ambition, but with admiration. Growing up in Birmingham, Sabbath’s music was a constant presence, a cultural pulse as unmistakable as the clang of factory steel. That energy found its way into the artist’s creative work—gritty, layered, bold, and unmistakably local.

“This is our story,” they said. “So many people think of Sabbath as global icons—and they are—but at the heart of it, they were just four Brummie blokes with a sound no one had ever heard before. I wanted to show that, to hold that raw history in my hands, and now Jim has held it too.”

The reaction from the Birmingham art and music communities has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans have taken to social media, sharing the photo of Simpson holding the print with captions like “Sabbath history made local again” and “This is what it’s all about.”

One Twitter user wrote, “What an incredible tribute. This artist has done more for Sabbath’s Birmingham legacy than some official museums. The soul of the city lives in these collages.”

The moment also speaks to a broader cultural wave in Birmingham, where music, heritage, and grassroots art are converging in exciting ways. From street murals honouring local legends to renewed interest in iconic venues like Mothers in Erdington (where Sabbath once played), there’s a palpable resurgence of pride in the city’s rock ‘n’ roll past.

Jim Simpson, who’s often credited with shaping Sabbath’s earliest sound and helping them land their first gigs, was said to be “chuffed” by the gift. Still active in Birmingham’s jazz scene and music promotion efforts, he’s long been an advocate for preserving the city’s musical identity.

“It’s always good to see the younger generation celebrating where it all began,” Simpson remarked. “This one was a lovely surprise.”

For the artist, the moment with Simpson wasn’t just a highlight—it was a mission accomplished. “It reminded me why I do this in the first place. Art can carry memory, place, and sound in ways words sometimes can’t. And if I’ve helped even one fan reconnect with the roots of Sabbath, then that’s everything.”

As for what’s next, the artist is planning a series of Birmingham-inspired collages highlighting other key locations in the city’s music history—think Steel Pulse, UB40, Judas Priest, and more.

“I want to keep telling these stories—stories that belong to all of us in Birmingham. This city birthed legends, and it deserves to see its reflection in the art we make.”

With projects like these, the soul of Sabbath—and of Birmingham itself—is in good hands.

Follow the artist on Instagram [@YourHandle] for more behind-the-scenes work and local collage drops.