221— Propaganda Time: The Winter of Discontent and the London Metal Scene

The 70s was a tumultuous decade for London and the U.K. as a whole, culminating in the Winter of Discontent in the winter of 1978- 1979. Widespread unemployment, inflation, and a recession ultimately led to government pay caps and widespread strikes among public sector workers that brought London to a screeching halt. Meanwhile, a new metal movement, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), gained momentum. Largely made up of young, working-class men who were hit especially hard by the U.K.'s financial troubles, the NWOBHM scene gave these men a community and eventually voice in the mainstream. Media attention surrounding the strikes and the NWOBHM share marked similarities and reflect middle class attitudes towards the working class. In this paper, I examine the connection between NWOBHM artists and the political climate in London during the Winter of Discontent.