UB40 launch ‘Musical Routes’ initiative
A NEW ‘Musical Routes’ initiative to celebrate the musical heritage of the West Midlands was launched on November 26 at Hall Green station by legendary reggae band UB40. Founding members Jimmy Brown, Robin Campbell, Earl Falconer and Norman Hassan were joined by new vocalist Matt Doyle to kick-start the project which will see music-themed information boards installed at dozens of railway stations across the city. Hall Green is near to King’s Heath where UB40’s first gig was held at the Hare & Hounds pub in 1979. The ‘Musical Routes’ project is the brainchild of the Birmingham Music Archive and funded through WMR’s ‘Your Community, Your Fund’ scheme. For each station where musical heritage will be celebrated, 3D wooden maps will be produced by designers from city-based studio Space Play and will feature Spotify codes that connect to a curated playlist for each area. Maps will be installed at a total of 30 stations including Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks, Wylde Green, Chester Road, Erdington, Gravelly Hill, Perry Barr, Hamstead, Jewellery Quarter, Duddeston, Aston, Witton, Bordesley, Small Heath, Adderley Park, Lea Hall, Five Ways, Spring Road, Yardley Wood, Acocks Green, Stechford, Tyseley, Selly Oak, Bournville, Kings Norton, Northfield and Longbridge. University station will get two maps – but like Perry Barr, will receive its maps when redevelopment work is completed next year. Fay Easton, WMR head of stakeholder and community, said: “Many local people and global visitors will be unaware of the musical talent that impacted world music from Birmingham and the Midlands. This talent should be celebrated, and we are proud to have been part of this project to bring Birmingham’s musical heritage to life at our stations.”