Artist Of The Week - 7-9-2012 - Rockpile
Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:32 am
Lennon/McCartney. Hood/Cooley. Strummer/Jones. The list of bands able to successfully harness the talents of 2 (or more) leads into a cooperative and stable synthesis, even for a relatively short amount of time in some cases, is rather small. I subject that one more name should enter the critic's mind when considering this subject: Rockpile.
Fronted by Dave Edmunds on guitar/keyboard/vocals and Nick Lowe on bass/vocals, with Billy Bremner on guitars/vocals and Terry Williams on drums, the band in this classic incarnation was formed in 1976 as the touring and studio band for the "solo" output of Edmunds (signed to Swan Song) and Lowe (signed to Stiff). Both Edmunds and Lowe had a measure of previous success prior to this in the UK (Edmunds as a solo artist, Lowe in the band Brinsley Schwarz) with relatively little exposure in the US outside of "I Hear You Knockin", a modest hit for Edmunds. Rockpile first appear on vinyl on Nick Lowe's solo album Jesus Of Cool on one track ("They Called It Rock" on the UK version; "Heart Of The City" on the US version, which had been cowardly renamed Pure Pop For Now People).
In 1978, the first of what I would consider to be a true Rockpile album was recorded under the Edmunds moniker: Tracks On Wax 4. I don't recall this disc achieving much inroads to the American market, but certainly remember at least one song receiving airplay in the Charlotte NC rock radio market: the Billy Bremner (as Billy Williams) composition "Trouble Boys".
(FYI, that is a young and smokin' Sara Brightman in the little green dress).
1979 found the band recording, essentially simultaneously, Edmunds Repeat When Necessary and Lowe's Labour Of Lust. Each title enjoyed hits on either side of the pond - the definitive version of Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk" from Repeat, and the reworked Brinsley Schwarz tune "Cruel To Be Kind" from Labour.
Other notable cuts from these sessions: a cover of Graham Parker's "Crawling From The Wreckage"...
...and "Cracking Up"
Rockpile toured in the States at this time as either "Dave Edmunds' Rockpile" or "Nick Lowe's Rockpile" (depending on whose album was selling best in the individual markets, I suppose), and submitted Dave Edmunds' Twangin', a collection of outtakes, to Swan Song to complete his contractual obligation. This was not released until after Rockpile's dissolution. The band in 1979 appeared in Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea, now sadly out-of-print as audio or video product.
October 1980 saw the release of the only LP officially contributed to Rockpile for F-Beat Records, Seconds Of Pleasure. It was a minor success in the US & UK, and included in it's initial pressings a 45-sized EP (to be played at 33 1/3) of Nick & Dave doing acoustic Everly Brothers covers: Take A Message To Mary, Crying In The Rain, Poor Jenny, and When Will I Be Loved).
"Teacher Teacher" was a minor US hit, reaching #51. As performed live on the late night ABC comedy show "Fridays":
"Heart", a Lowe tune given to Billy Bremner:
By 1981, it was over. "Creative differences" between Dave & Nick. As Lowe put it, "We got together for fun and when the fun had all been had we packed it in." The foursome has not worked together since. A little slice of British rockabilly history snuffed before it had a chance to grow up.
Fronted by Dave Edmunds on guitar/keyboard/vocals and Nick Lowe on bass/vocals, with Billy Bremner on guitars/vocals and Terry Williams on drums, the band in this classic incarnation was formed in 1976 as the touring and studio band for the "solo" output of Edmunds (signed to Swan Song) and Lowe (signed to Stiff). Both Edmunds and Lowe had a measure of previous success prior to this in the UK (Edmunds as a solo artist, Lowe in the band Brinsley Schwarz) with relatively little exposure in the US outside of "I Hear You Knockin", a modest hit for Edmunds. Rockpile first appear on vinyl on Nick Lowe's solo album Jesus Of Cool on one track ("They Called It Rock" on the UK version; "Heart Of The City" on the US version, which had been cowardly renamed Pure Pop For Now People).
In 1978, the first of what I would consider to be a true Rockpile album was recorded under the Edmunds moniker: Tracks On Wax 4. I don't recall this disc achieving much inroads to the American market, but certainly remember at least one song receiving airplay in the Charlotte NC rock radio market: the Billy Bremner (as Billy Williams) composition "Trouble Boys".
(FYI, that is a young and smokin' Sara Brightman in the little green dress).
1979 found the band recording, essentially simultaneously, Edmunds Repeat When Necessary and Lowe's Labour Of Lust. Each title enjoyed hits on either side of the pond - the definitive version of Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk" from Repeat, and the reworked Brinsley Schwarz tune "Cruel To Be Kind" from Labour.
Other notable cuts from these sessions: a cover of Graham Parker's "Crawling From The Wreckage"...
...and "Cracking Up"
Rockpile toured in the States at this time as either "Dave Edmunds' Rockpile" or "Nick Lowe's Rockpile" (depending on whose album was selling best in the individual markets, I suppose), and submitted Dave Edmunds' Twangin', a collection of outtakes, to Swan Song to complete his contractual obligation. This was not released until after Rockpile's dissolution. The band in 1979 appeared in Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea, now sadly out-of-print as audio or video product.
October 1980 saw the release of the only LP officially contributed to Rockpile for F-Beat Records, Seconds Of Pleasure. It was a minor success in the US & UK, and included in it's initial pressings a 45-sized EP (to be played at 33 1/3) of Nick & Dave doing acoustic Everly Brothers covers: Take A Message To Mary, Crying In The Rain, Poor Jenny, and When Will I Be Loved).
"Teacher Teacher" was a minor US hit, reaching #51. As performed live on the late night ABC comedy show "Fridays":
"Heart", a Lowe tune given to Billy Bremner:
By 1981, it was over. "Creative differences" between Dave & Nick. As Lowe put it, "We got together for fun and when the fun had all been had we packed it in." The foursome has not worked together since. A little slice of British rockabilly history snuffed before it had a chance to grow up.
