‘A privilege to combine my two loves of music and art’ – Stourbridge artist completes his latest stunning piece of music icon artwork

Multi media artist Cal has now completed a massive mural of Ned’s Atomic Dustbin on the wall of a row of shops on Hagley Road, just off the town’s ring road.

It is the third in a series which has seen Pop Will Eat Itself and The Wonder Stuff also become the subject of Cal’s work –  two murals related to the bands are within a stones throw of each other, and just yards from the latest one.

All three bands have roots in Stourbridge and the Black Country and collectively charted 29 times in the UK top 40, earning cult followings in the 90s,

But looking to the future, now Cal is painting a design for up and coming duo Gans, who have  recently signed to Pete Doherty’s record label and are currently playing nationwide to sell out audiences

Other murals of rock band Diamondhead and a little known act called Led Zeppelin are in the pipeline.

The latest mural took six weeks to complete and has won the approval of Ned’s lead singer Jon Penney, who posed for a picture on completion with the artist.

Cal said: “It’s finally finished after a lot of hard work and I am so pleased with how it’s turned out

“Ned’s Atomic Dustbin have been a massive influence on my life and it has been a privilege to combine my two loves of music and art – at times it has been very hairy with the weather and the size of the project but I am pleased with the outcome – scaffold dangling has never felt so good.”

“It has reminded me of the reasons I became an artist all those years ago, to make the world a better place one wall at a time.

“Stourbridge is such a beautiful community and I’m overwhelmed with the love but there is so much more to come with the mural for Gans who are continuing the town’s musical legacy and the other two in the pipeline so watch this space.”

Richard Rowlands of  Eden Midcalf estate agents who sponsored Cal to paint the Ned’s Atomic Dustbin mural on the side of their building and is offering continued support said he was delighted with the ‘stunning’ outcome.

He said: “I am a massive music fan and good friends with Jon from Ned’s and we have offices here and in Kinver so it was no problem to be able to help Cal find a space for what is a brilliant piece of work.

“The crispness and visibility of the artwork is amazing and it is a stunning piece of work – I am delighted Cal has been able to celebrate Stourbridge’s musical heritage in this way in what is the third such piece, with more to come and we are delighted to help him along.”