Ever heard Rockpile?


One of the few "Super Groups" whom I myself consider super. Dave Edmunds is my favorite Rock ’n’ Roller of the 1970’s and 80’s, and a great record producer (amongst his best is Shake Some Action by The Flamin’ Groovies). The other members were bassist/singer/songwriter Nick Lowe (previously in the UK band Brinsley Schwarz, producer of Elvis Costello’s debut album, and member of another Super Group---Little Village, comprised of himself, John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, and Jim Keltner. Their lone album is not very good.), guitarist/singer Billy Bremner (for a short time guitarist in The Pretenders), and Terry Williams (previously drummer in the UK band Man, later in Dire Straits).

They released only one album under the band’s name (1980’s Seconds Of Pleasure, on F Beat Records in the UK, Columbia Records in the USA), and it’s a great one. But they also serve as the band on a number of Dave and Nick’s solo albums, as well as on Carlene Carter’s (she and Nick were married for awhile).

 

Here’s a live clip of them performing a Mickey Jupp song:

 

https://youtu.be/8u68AipVLLg?si=9OE0JdT6zMJWeeES

 

Here's another, written by Nick and found in a studio recording by Dave on his fantastic album Get It:

 

https://youtu.be/SJ2TuX_ZiEA?si=w3GFWX_ph8aV1sgK

 

bdp24

 Speaking of Nick Lowe,   Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets are doing 2 nights at Levon Helm studio in Woodstock in August.

 

I’ve seen the Straitjackets live only once, opening for Tom Petty. Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell is a fan, and arranged the gig for them. Straitjackets bassist Pete Curry is an old friend and former bandmate of mine, and he told me Mike came to their dressing room to ask if they had everything they needed and wanted, and a while later Tom opened the door, looked at them, and closed the door without saying a word. Weird.

Pete and I both liked Nick Lowe right away, but while I preferred his second album (Labour Of Lust) to his first (Jesus Of Cool), Pete felt the opposite. The second album has the full Rockpile membership playing, the first Nick’s old gang from Stiff Records. The Straitjackets serve as Nick’s band on his new album.