rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
musician
Dave Edmunds
David William Edmunds (born 15 April 1944) is a Welsh retired singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. Although he is mainly associated with Pub rock (United Kingdom), pub rock and New wave music, new wave, having many hit record, h ...
. The record was the first Edmunds solo effort to feature all four members of the band
Rockpile
Rockpile were a British rock band of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Noted for their strong pub rock, rockabilly and power pop influences, they were a foundational influence on new wave. The band consisted of Dave Edmunds (vocals, guitar), ...
: Edmunds,
Billy Bremner
William John Bremner (9 December 1942 – 7 December 1997) was a Scottish professional Association football, footballer who played for Leeds United F.C., Leeds United, Hull City A.F.C., Hull City, and the Scotland national football team, Scot ...
(who also wrote two of the album's songs under the
pen name
A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...
Billy Murray),
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in Pub rock (United Kingdom), pub rock, power pop and New wave music, new wave,Terry Williams.
The album's eighth song, "Thread Your Needle", was originally recorded by the Ohio-based R&B duo Dean & Jean (Welton Young and Brenda Lee Jones). The album's final song, "Heart of the City", was originally recorded by Nick Lowe as a
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London by Dave Robinson (music executive), Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1986, the label was reactivated in 2007.
Established at the outset of the p ...
single in 1976. A live version performed by
Rockpile
Rockpile were a British rock band of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Noted for their strong pub rock, rockabilly and power pop influences, they were a foundational influence on new wave. The band consisted of Dave Edmunds (vocals, guitar), ...
was released on Lowe's album ''
Jesus of Cool
''Jesus of Cool'' is the solo debut album by British singer-songwriter Nick Lowe. Produced by Lowe, it was released in March 1978 by Radar Records in the UK.
In the United States, the album was reconfigured by Columbia Records and retitled '' ...
'' (also 1978) and Edmunds used the same backing track, but overdubbed his own lead vocals in place of Lowe's.
Critical reception
''
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...
'' wrote that "Edmunds brings a wide range of historical fifties sounds to life with amazing precision."
Track listing
Side one
# "Trouble Boys" ( Billy Murray) – 3:02
# "Never Been in Love" (
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in Pub rock (United Kingdom), pub rock, power pop and New wave music, new wave,Rockpile
Rockpile were a British rock band of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Noted for their strong pub rock, rockabilly and power pop influences, they were a foundational influence on new wave. The band consisted of Dave Edmunds (vocals, guitar), ...
) – 2:28
# "Not a Woman, Not a Child" (Billy Murray, Ray Peters) – 3:21
# "Television" (Lowe) – 3:19
# "What Looks Best on You" (Lowe, Edmunds) – 2:26
# "Readers Wives" (Noel Brown) – 3:11
Side two
# "Deborah" (Lowe, Edmunds) – 2:38
# "Thread Your Needle" (Brenda Lee Jones, Welton Young) – 3:27
# "A1 On the Jukebox" (Edmunds,
Will Birch
Will Birch (born 12 September 1948) is an English music journalist, songwriter, record producer and drummer.
Career
Birch was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. He played drums in various bands in the Southend area before helping to form T ...
) – 3:15
# "It's My Own Business" (
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...
) – 3:56
# "Heart of the City" (Lowe) – 3:03
Personnel
*
Dave Edmunds
David William Edmunds (born 15 April 1944) is a Welsh retired singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. Although he is mainly associated with Pub rock (United Kingdom), pub rock and New wave music, new wave, having many hit record, h ...
– guitar, piano, vocals
*
Billy Bremner
William John Bremner (9 December 1942 – 7 December 1997) was a Scottish professional Association football, footballer who played for Leeds United F.C., Leeds United, Hull City A.F.C., Hull City, and the Scotland national football team, Scot ...