A Pile of Rock – An Xperience Interview

A Pile of Rock – An Xperience Column – by Rob Skane.

Rockpile. Man oh man. The short-lived combo platter of Billy Bremner, Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, and Smashing Terry Williams blew minds, broke hearts, and played fast(er) and loud(er). They looked cool doing it, too. Pro Tip for you kids, it’s time for some self-reflection. Would it kill you to wear some cool shoes onstage? The answer is, no – it would not. And cool shoes go a long way, too. Dave Edmunds always looked quite dapper when he was out there on the planks with the mighty Rockpile. Terry Williams did too. Way back in the 20^th century, when people actually went to see bands and socialize, the bands usually didn’t look like they were there to fix the heat, if you catch my drift. It was suits, ties, cool shoes (see above), and attitude.

The four lads in the combo, all incredibly talented, played on records made by Dave Edmunds and also played on records made by Nick Lowe. Sometimes booked as Dave Edmunds and Rockpile, sometimes booked as Nick Lowe and Rockpile – I think you get it, right? Anyway, they seemingly played anywhere and everywhere all the damn time. They played clubs, colleges, theaters, and hockey rinks and blew the headliner off the stage just about every night. While Dave and Nick had notable careers, Billy and Terry were the secret weapons.

I recently had the pleasure of reading an incredible book that is a tribute to our heroes, Rockpile. The book is called “Crawling From the Wreckage,” and I absolutely loved it. I bet all you fancy pants music aficionados would love it too. The book was carefully crafted by editors Rikard Bengtsson and Ulf Bjore. It contains a ton of pictures, interviews, reviews, and observations from many people, including Billy Bremner, Terry Williams, and Roger Bechirian, who often recorded the lads at Eden Studios. I was able to ask Rikard a few questions about the band and the book, and here is our conversation

RRX: What first drew you to Rockpile’s story?

RB: I’ve been a fan since 1978, as have the others in the editorial team, and we’ve followed the band members ever since, but it wasn’t until I started my Rockpile group on Facebook that I began thinking about publishing a book. Initially, we gathered a lot of great and unique material in the group, not least some fantastic photos, and the idea was first to release a pure photo book with just a few text sections. But then it took on a life of its own, and we ended up with 70 chapters and 320 pages. I remember Sid Griffin from the Long Ryders calling it an encyclopedia of Rockpile, which was kind of him to say, but it’s not quite that. It’s mostly memories from fans, mixed with a number of interviews and a few deep dives.

RRX: In researching the band, what new insights did you uncover about the relationships between Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner, and Terry Williams?

RB: First and foremost, that they were very good friends and spent a lot of time together even outside of recording sessions and tours, and that they genuinely appreciated each other as musicians. They hardly ever argued, and if any disagreement arose, it blew over quickly.

RRX: Rockpile only released one official studio album together — how do you think that shaped both their career trajectory and their lasting reputation?

RB: I think having just one official album was, to some extent, a bit negative. And very anticlimactic! Many people don’t see and miss the other fantastic albums they made as a band: “Tracks on Wax 4,” “Labour of Lust,” “Repeat When Necessary,” “Twangin..,” and not to forget the collaboration with Carlene Carter on “Musical Shapes” and with Mickey Jupp on “Juppanese.” With the band’s breakup, they had to start over from scratch with their shelved solo careers. Even though the band took their band career lightly—seeing it mostly as a 4-5 year-long party—it’s undeniable that they essentially threw away five years of promotion work. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but that’s how I see it. And as Gregg Geller, formerly of Columbia Records, notes in an upcoming interview, “they could have held out for a few more years”!

RRX: Are there particular concerts, recordings, or rare moments you feel best represent Rockpile’s unique chemistry?

RB: Rockpile almost never played a truly bad gig, but if I had to list some highlights, they would be: London, Paris Theatre 1977; San Francisco, Winterland 1978; Boston, Paradise Theatre 1979; and not least, Montreux Jazz Festival 1980. As for albums, I’d highlight “Tracks on Wax 4” and “Labour of Lust.”

RRX: What impact do you hope this book will have on Rockpile’s legacy, especially for new listeners who might be discovering them for the first time?

RB: Based on the sales of “Crawling From the Wreckage,” I can say that we rarely reach new, younger listeners. Maybe one or two here and there. Most fans are 60-70 years old! The greatest reward for me and the rest of the team is when a hardcore Rockpile fan gets the book in their hands and the immense joy that follows. I think most never believed a book about The Pile would become a reality. And honestly, neither did we!

Here’s the deal, kids. Find the private Rockpile group on Facebook and get a copy of this book. You will love it!!

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