What do musician Dave Grohl, Shadow Secretary for State Ed Miliband, Ace Ventura actor Jim Carrey, the President of Indonesia and snooker legend Steve Davis all have in common? A look through their record collections might give it away - all of them are Napalm Death fans, each counting the Birmingham grindcore founding fathers among their favourites.
The extreme metal band was founded in Birmingham back in 1981 and though their intense tracks might not be floor-filler fodder at family dos, they've gathered a raft of fans, some in unlikely places, over the course of their more than 40 year career. The city is known for being the Home of Metal, and while the likes of Black Sabbath and Judas Priest have put the Midlands on the map for heavy music, you cannot acknowledge the region's musical significance without mentioning Napalm Death.
In 2017, the four-piece made history as the first grindcore band to play Glastonbury. The line-up might have shifted over the years but today, vocalist Barney Greenway, drummer Danny Herrera, guitarist John Cooke and bassist Shane Embury, who has been fundamental in driving the band's continuing success since joining in 1987, are still travelling the world performing for fans.
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But while they might have visited almost every continent on tour over the decades, Shane still hasn't shaken off the feeling that home is best. He met his wife 20 years ago in Japan while on the road with the band and the pair decided to raise their two children back home in the Midlands.
Born and raised in the Shropshire town of Broseley, Shane had a lifelong love of heavy guitar music from as early as the age of six, later tape- trading on the heavy metal underground so he could share music on cassette with people who loved the same thing.
"Coming from a small village, growing up was strange as it was unusual to be into heavy metal in the early 80s. The Midlands is steeped both in industrial heritage but also in rock music heritage. There's something about that that I find so comforting."
Shane, who has just released his book Life...? And Napalm Death lives near Dorridge now, settling for the schools. He's just back from playing shows in New Zealand. "As you get a little bit older you appreciate your home comforts a little bit more," he says. "I have made great friends all over the world but this area is just in my blood.
"I like Japan a lot and I love New Zealand too but we're happy here. I have lots of great memories, particularly of Shropshire, and going through old photographs to put them together for the book, it rekindled those good feelings."
As well as fond moments spent with his parents visiting Longbridge, Shane has plenty of happy memories in Birmingham. The Mermaid pub on the Stratford Road in Sparkhill is known as the home of Napalm Death and back in the 90s, the sound was fuelled by a passion for heavy music... and a good curry.
"When I moved here in the early 90s, Birmingham's music scene was thriving. Bands were playing every two or three days and it was amazing. We blagged those guest lists rotten!
"Edwards Number 8 went many years ago but we'd go into town and frequently haunt that place, same with Costermongers. The girlfriend of Micky Harris (former Napalm Death drummer) was living in Sparkbrook at the time and when our guitarist Jesse Pintado moved to the city from Los Angeles he moved there too.
"I was a homebody that rarely left the village, but I did move to Sparkbrook and then Sparkhill, we all lived in a house together. Except Barney, because I think we were too wild for him. We'd tear it up on Balti Triangle! It was like heaven to me!"
Things have changed in Birmingham since then. Edwards Number 8 and Costermongers have been lost to the past, but Shane is keeping his finger on the pulse, even now.
"It seemed to be dipping a bit but there's loads of local gigs still happening and bands are coming through venues like The Asylum and the O2 Institute. Music is all here, there are some great bands around here, including up-and-coming young bands.
"It's easy when you're mixed up with family and things to miss the obvious signs that creativity is coming through, but it is. You just have to look."
Shane's book, Life...? And Napalm Death is available now. Napalm Death still tours and you can find upcoming dates on the band's Facebook page.
