h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Duran Duran and UB40 are also Birmingham based groups. Isn't it interesting the diversity of music to have come from Birmingham.

Don't forget the Moody Blues, whose name was originally going to be 'The M & Bs' because they started life in a pub (M & B = Mitchell and Butler, an English brewery based in the Midlands). However, the band members didn't like the name and changed it to Moody Blues.

Then there's E.L.O. (the Electric Light Orchestra) whose vocalist, Jeff Lynn, was in a band with Roy Wood of Wizzard until they started having arguments about who was the lead member and therefore should come on stage last at gigs! They do say that men are just overgrown boys, but come on!

In a more recent genre there's Ocean Colour Scene who come from Mosely (south of Selly Oak in Birmingham).

Didn't Emerson Lake and Palmer come from Brum too, when they were the Nice?

I can remember UB40 playing free on a flatbed truck in the middle of the village during the Moseley Festival. They were living in Balsall Heath then.

That's 'south' in the sense of 'east', is it?

Blimey, he's right. East and slightly north. Well that just goes to show how disorienting the Number 11 bus route is.

And "Ned's Atomic Dustbin" from Dudley, lest we forget