Forging Metal: Black Sabbath and Birmingham

Academic experts will be joined by special guests, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, and Carlos Acosta CBE, Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, to examine the ongoing legacy of the first-ever heavy metal band.

The event will feature a series of talks from University of Birmingham academics exploring various aspects of Black Sabbath’s legacy, as well as an ‘in conversation with’ session with Tony and Carlos.

Aston’s own Tony Iommi, also known as The Iron Man and The Godfather of Heavy Metal, is an inspiration for many thousands of hard rock guitarists. As the only continuous band member for the genre-shaping career of Black Sabbath, for over 50 years, Tony Iommi has become synonymous with heavy rock, his innovative, de-tuned, dark riffs a blueprint for successive generations of bands that followed.

Carlos Acosta CBE, awarded an honorary degree by the University of Birmingham in July 2025, has been Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet for five years. During his tenure, he has shown a commitment to amplifying the region’s rich heritage and culture through the creation of performances, including the acclaimed Black Sabbath -The Ballet, the first true heavy metal ballet experience, and the second creation of his celebrated Birmingham Trilogy.

Carlos Acosta said: “I am delighted to continue this wonderful partnership between Birmingham Royal Ballet and the University of Birmingham. It’s a joy to discuss in public with the brilliant co-founder of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi, the massive impact that Black Sabbath has had on the world, and how the band’s legacy inspired my concept for Black Sabbath-The Ballet.”

Three academic experts will also be giving talks on the night covering different elements of the band’s legacy:

Dr David Gange, Associate Professor in History, will explore a neglected but crucial aspect of Sabbath’s legacy: their influence on environmental activism within metal music.

Dr Finola Kerrigan, Professor of Marketing at Birmingham Business School, will examine how arts and culture have shaped the identity of Birmingham, using Black Sabbath - The Ballet as a case study.

Dr Kamran Khan, Associate Professor in Language, Social Justice and Education, will use Black Sabbath as a cultural touchstone to unpack how sounds such as accents are tied to notions of prestige and discrimination and how they are shaped by the past in relation to the present and future.

Professor Paul Jackson, Director of Research for the College of Social Sciences and emcee for the evening, said: “As heavy rock pioneers and ambassadors of Birmingham, the city is extremely proud of Black Sabbath. This evening is an exploration of the social science around what that means for the City itself, and also for an internationally-renowned ballet company as it takes Birmingham DNA to the world.”

Professor Paul Jackson

All

Music fans, social scientists, cultural historians