Banging the drum for heavy rock and metal music on Merseyside

Pictured: Dr Nedim Hassan at the launch event for Metal on Merseyside – photo taken by Joe Mortimer

LJMU academic Dr Nedim Hassan is taking centre stage in a collaborative project that aims to support and develop the heavy metal and hard rock music scene within the Liverpool City Region.

Metal on Merseyside was launched at the end of August at the Zanzibar club, Seel Street, Liverpool, and is in part inspired by Nedim’s book of the same name which explores the ‘largely invisible’ rock and metal music scenes of North-West of England.

Speaking about the project, Nedim who is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at the School of Humanities and Social Science, said: “This is a project that has come to fruition over the last year. Since the publication of my book and a book launch event, people from within the local rock and metal music industries have approached me to work with them so that we can build on the interest it received.”

Pictured: Omega Throne playing at the launch event – photo taken by Andrew McCann Hughes  

The recent project launch event saw around 80 people come together to enjoy a variety of performances from local metal bands. Reflecting upon the launch, Nedim added: “It provided an effective way of starting a dialogue with artists, fans and other members of the rock and metal music community within Merseyside.

“A panel discussion at the event raised several interesting questions regarding aspects such as Liverpool’s status within the national touring circuit for rock music and the lack of representation for heavy rock and metal bands at established city-based festivals. Alongside other issues, these are questions that we will be exploring further in the future.

“It has been great to work with passionate members of a long-standing and vibrant scene, and we are working on developing events that among other things will raise awareness of what remains an often-underappreciated aspect of Merseyside’s music heritage narrative.”

People can find out more about the project and Nedim’s research through a dedicated Metal on Merseyside website developed in collaboration with a group of LJMU student interns.  

“With support from the brilliant student interns we have created a website that we want to act as a contemporary resource for scene members, as well as something that contributes to tracing the history of a rich and diverse music scene,” Nedim added.  

-Dr Nedim Hassan’s book, Metal on Merseyside, is published by Palgrave MacMillan.