Henry's Blueshouse
Birmingham blues club that launched Black Sabbath.
Henry's Blueshouse was a weekly live music event in Birmingham, England, organized by Jim Simpson under his Big Bear Music banner, running from 1968 to 1970. Held on Tuesday nights in the upstairs room of The Crown pub on Station Street, it is considered the first progressive music club in the UK outside London. The club showcased a variety of touring British and Irish rock bands that later achieved international fame, including Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Jethro Tull, Supertramp, and Judas Priest. Future Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and John Bonham were frequent attendees and often joined performers on stage for impromptu jam sessions. American blues artists such as Champion Jack Dupree, Lightnin' Slim, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, and Reverend Gary Davis also performed there.
One week, two club regulars, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi, approached Simpson to request a support slot for their new band, Earth, at an upcoming gig, offering four Henry's t-shirts in exchange. After auditioning at the venue, they were booked to open for Ten Years After. Earth went on to perform regularly at Henry's, changed their name to Black Sabbath, and came under Simpson's management. The band later credited this period as formative, with Osbourne stating "we were made by Jim Simpson." Their sets at the club featured much of the early material from their debut album, which Metal Hammer and others recognize as the first heavy metal recording.
By 1970, Simpson's focus shifted to managing Black Sabbath and other acts, leading to the end of Henry's Blueshouse. The Crown continued operating, with its upstairs room hosting discos and live music, including early gigs by Birmingham punk band GBH. In summer 2014, owners Admiral Taverns sold The Crown to Japanese developers, who evicted the licensee and left the building boarded up. Simpson remained active in live music promotion and management. In March 2019, Big Bear Music revived Henry's Blueshouse at The Bulls Head on Bishopsgate Street, about a mile from the original venue, presenting live blues every Tuesday. It now operates at SNOBS on Broad Street in Birmingham.
- Field
- Live music promotion
- Nationality
- British (England)
- Known for
- First progressive music club in the UK outside London; launching pad for Black Sabbath
- Active years
- 1968–1970 (original); relaunched 2019
- Founder
- Jim Simpson (via Big Bear Music)
- Original venue
- The Crown, Station Street, Birmingham
Lore & Background
Henry's Blueshouse was founded by Jim Simpson, who managed local bands including Bakerloo Blues Line, and launched the weekly blues club as a platform for that band. Held on Tuesday nights in the upstairs room of The Crown on Station Street, it featured a range of touring British and Irish rock bands who later gained worldwide recognition, including Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Jethro Tull, Supertramp, and Judas Priest. Future Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and John Bonham were regulars and would often jam with booked performers. The club also hosted notable American bluesmen such as Champion Jack Dupree, Lightnin' Slim, Arthur Big Boy Crudup, and Reverend Gary Davis.
One week, two members of the club, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi, approached Simpson to ask for a support slot for their band Earth in exchange for four Henry's t-shirts. After auditioning, they opened for Ten Years After and went on to perform regularly at Henry's, changing their name to Black Sabbath. Simpson managed the band, and Osbourne later commented 'we were made by Jim Simpson.' The band used their sets at the club to play early material from their debut album, widely acknowledged as the first heavy metal recording.
By 1970, Simpson's time became consumed by managing Black Sabbath and other bands, and Henry's Blueshouse ended. The pub continued trading, with the upstairs room used intermittently for discos and live music, including early gigs by Birmingham punks GBH. In summer 2014, The Crown was sold to Japanese property developers and boarded up. In March 2019, Big Bear Music relaunched Henry's Blueshouse at The Bulls Head on Bishopsgate Street, and it is now located at SNOBS in Broad Street, Birmingham.
Reader's Guide
Henry's Blueshouse holds a significant place in music history as the first progressive music club in the UK outside London, operating from 1968 to 1970. It provided a crucial early platform for bands that would achieve worldwide fame, including Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Jethro Tull, Supertramp, and Judas Priest. Most notably, it was the venue where Black Sabbath—then called Earth—auditioned for promoter Jim Simpson, leading to their management and the development of their early sound. The club's Tuesday night sessions also attracted future Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and John Bonham, who would jam with performers. By hosting both emerging British rock acts and established American blues musicians, Henry's Blueshouse bridged blues and rock traditions at a formative moment. Its legacy is preserved through the relaunch in 2019 and its continued operation, as well as through Black Sabbath's acknowledgment of the club's role in their career. The venue is often cited in discussions of the origins of heavy metal, given that Black Sabbath's debut album—much of which was developed at Henry's—is widely considered the first heavy metal recording.
Did You Know?
- Henry's Blueshouse was the first progressive music club in the UK outside of London.
- Black Sabbath (then called Earth) auditioned for Jim Simpson in exchange for four Henry's t-shirts.
- The club was relaunched in March 2019 at The Bulls Head, and is now located at SNOBS in Broad Street, Birmingham.
More in Band Members & Collaborators
Elsewhere in Black Sabbath
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced