Rockpile - Danish TV concert (1979)

ROCKPILE
Danish TV Studios
Denmark
original broadcast date: 1979-07-17
Dave Edmunds (vocals, guitar)
Nick Lowe (vocals, bass guitar)
Billy Bremner (vocals, guitar)
Terry Williams (drums)
setlist:
1.DOWN,DOWN,DOWN
2.I KNEW THE BRIDE
3.DEBORAH
4.LET IT ROCK
5.HERE COMES THE WEEKEND
6.LOVE SO FINE
7.PROMISED LAND
8.THEY CALLED IT ROCK
9.JU JU MAN
10.HEART OF THE CITY
thanks to bombdiggity from Dime a dozen

[@calnonhardy4002]

Billy Bremner an under rated guitar player.

[@neilleng9188]

Yep, far better defender for Leeds United tho'.!! 😂😂

[@conshea7382]

@@neilleng9188midfield dynamo

[@calnonhardy4002]

Terry Williams is an incredible drummer

[@mightyV444]

Yes! If only they had turned him up in volume here, though!

[@samueladams4218]

I recognize him from Dire Straits.

[@mikeflynn1629]

A friend of mine and was on a tour in England. He was a drummer and they opened for Rock pile, he said they were real cool and let him set down on Terry Williams drums.

[@mikeflynn1629]

Terry Williams drums drums drums

[@waldosgrade]

Amen to that!

[@dontknocktherock1263]

Isn't it amazing how Danish, German, French TV etc, seemed to appreciate our British bands more than we did. There seems to be more of this type of footage in their archives than in the UK TV archives!

[@christopherpetersen9956]

Sverige og Tyskland var langt fremme.

[@peterjohnson1761]

Just seeing this, out of the blue, it’s why I love rock & roll, it was fantastic 🎉

[@thefirststudentzero]

You're right...here in Australia we get a lot of UK TV and there is a real shortage of good Rock and Roll. This 30 minutes of Rockpile at their peak is brilliant and we can only wonder if there is anything similar recorded in their homeland around that time 🙏

[@gerrycoogan6544]

Especially Germany. Artists from The Beatles to Jimi Hendrix had a loyal following in Germany long before they made it big in the UK and America.

[@bewaretheshadow6210]

Also 1000s of hour's of British television are lost, including top of the pop's (Britain's flagship music show). According to Wikipedia:out of 2,225 episodes,514 are missing and 97 incomplete.Thats just top of the pop's alone.

[@bumperroan8211]

These incredibly talented musicians made such a tight band, not a wasted note. And playing to a zombie audience! How can you sit impassively when you're listening to Rockpile rockin' the house!

[@williamcurtin5692]

When I learned drums in the 60s, Charlie Watts was my unknowing teacher. If I'd been 15 years or so down the road, it would have been Terry. I watch some of those Rockpalast tracks and just drool. At one point, it appears that Lowe is looking back to see if smoke is coming from the drums.

[@rightfromleft6071]

Dave Edmonds, great guitar, check. Great lead vocals, no pitch problems, check. Great high harmonies without cracking, check. Great songwriter, check. MVP .

[@mbogucci1]

You lost me at "great songwriter".

[@tomgebarowski8156]

I agree...kudos to him!

[@billc6087]

No auto tune...

[@TruthMirrororriM]

Pub rock heaven! Why aren’t more Americans playing this rather than the same old southern rock schtick: Stiffs rock! Still!

[@JWD1992]

You'd think it would have more of a following here in the US. It has an "American" sound (with a UK twist). Then again, there are so many UK artists I can't believe didn't "break through" here, haha.

[@jahnbon]

I got to jam on acoustic guitars with Billy Bremner at AIR Studios in London - in the bathroom. I was working on an album that has long since lapsed into obscurity, and he was cutting "Back On The Chain Gang" with the Pretenders. Nicest guy in the world, and he gave me a lifetime's worth of good accompaniment tips, just by watching him. Eternally grateful.

[@SmileyLovesMusic]

We were friends when he lived in Nashville in the 90s. Got to perform with him in a local club. Miss that guy ....

[@alwaysopen7970]

I like his L6S. Had one and a friend hocked it.

[@dougsmith7083]

Incredible

[@dougsmith7083]

@Sam Mencia Exactly...that such a massively talented and, legendary player (who Page deferred to for solos even) was such a humble and down to earth man who would take the time to give us some edumacatin' Not bragging at all. Appreciative and thankful

[@tomcass2.030]

he is seriously underrated most people in the USA dont know who he is

[@GreenManalishiUSA]

Dang, that's a lot of talent crammed into one band.

[@drrjim]

Playing bass and singing...ain't so easy. Nick is awesome !

[@randb4865]

...an eight-string bass!

[@SteveTheDiva]

Good god, are you kidding me? Nick is awesome but there are a fuck ton of bass players that can sing and play at the same time.

[@themottoist5659]

Isn't that Dave Edmunds on lead vocals ?

[@G8GT364CI]

I REALLY miss this band, all great musicians, rockingest band around. Terry Williams- GREAT drummer. Holy Shit, this guy played with The Everly Brothers and I never knew it until right now.

[@billc6087]

Billy is a phenomenal guitarist

[@supermash1]

TOTALLY agree! What a band!

[@marcomasserio2967]

Terry Williams & Rockpile: what a band!

[@gregpendrey6711]

Listenin' too. Awright

[@terrywilliams9719]

Thankyou guys

[@bbb8997]

I saw you guys on the Fridays ABC tv show. Opened with big blon' baby, I was mesmerized, Jerry Lee would have approved. followed you in MAN ,&;the Christmas at the Patti 10" 2 lp set was amazing. you are a metronome on the drums with soul & feeling. a mixture of Jimmy van Eaton, Jerry Allison, & Al Jackson, Jr.

[@TheZenDJ]

Thanks for putting this out there. More people need to know about Rockpile & Dave & Nick & Billy & Terry!

[@paulsavage5057]

What the Fuck! Why? So they can save the world like Greta who wouldn't take a shit in the woods if her life depended on it!!

[@harnold6597]

@@paulsavage5057 So they can save the world from people like you :D

[@mbogucci1]

@@paulsavage5057 Seems like a reasonable reply. (Just kidding)

[@tomgebarowski8156]

These guys were very talented & highly underrated in rock and roll history. Consistently good playing & good songs. Love the guitar solos here on opening train song!

[@perryamberson]

Their thundering power of their sound in concert seems a little stilted by the low volume imposed by the TV production here. I saw them live in the summer of 1979, and they were as intense as The Ramones. Such great players and singers.

[@fredmossberg2069]

Perry Amberson, it's disconcerting. They didn't just mix them low; they literally made them lower their amplifier volume far below the break-up point. Such a fabulous performance, but I can never watch more than thirty seconds of it at a time. The boss neutered them, full stop.

[@danlillis8052]

Perry I saw them July 79 at Heatwave best band that day

[@karenscigliano9787]

Agree...low energy crowd?? TV studio sound? The band is rockin as usual though

[@MicroSoftner]

Turn Terry up!

[@ronwestwood9610]

Saw them in ‘79 on the Blondie tour. This was not a band you wanted to follow. Cleary this audience did not realize they were in the presence of greatness! Terry: I’ve always loved your playing. You’re a powerhouse sir!

[@AgingBoner]

I saw them on that tour too, in Philly. Good stuff.

[@danny4481]

Also saw that tour. Blew Blondie away. They pulled the plug. Ha,ha!

[@jgrosch94709]

@@danny4481 I saw them at the Va. Beach Dome, 19 July 1979. Blondie did cur the power on Rockpile after 30 minutes of some kick ass Rock n Roll.

[@duffbaker9554]

@@jgrosch94709 Saw them the day after you did. Deborah Harry left the stage upset/mildly crying for some reason towards the end. The concert ended in an anticlimactic fashion. It was the first ever concert in my life.

[@misinchantube]

What a sensational guitarist! Dave Edmunds

[@deenababie]

Pandemics, stuck inside alone, lots of old Rockpile, Nick and Dave on rotation tonight ....thanks for posting the live footage!!

[@Hoeness56]

Stage clothing not required. Pure Rock-'n'-Roll. I love it.

[@duffbaker9554]

No tattoos as well. Smart, traditional, slightly mod-ish clothing, clean-shaven and good hair. Miss those days..

[@azzaz1]

Man can Billy Bremner play!

[@davidjanson9900]

midfield leeds (dirty barstard)

[@kieronwalsh538]

One of the Best,What a great Guy as well&what aSinger/Writer

[@dougsmith7083]

His body may move a grand total of 7 inches over the 30 minute set...however, his fingers travel into space and back as he unleashes a smokin and diverse array of leads, fills, little nuances, etc... These guys are tigher than fuck and, manage to swing like champions at the same time...effortlessly I played a show in Hollywood once on a West Coast Tour and, at a tiny place called The Gaslight (was Bido Lidos in the 60s - Google it! Important little dive). Billy Bremner was the guitarist in the band that played 1st! Gobsmacked He played like he is here...opening a show in a dive bar in front of MAYBE 40 people. True pro. Great guy. Honoured

[@jeremyhbrowning]

@@dougsmith7083 superb

[@jezebeljones659]

One of the cooler bands...let the others knock themselves out, these guys just stand/sit and rock it out low-key.

[@danielbesser4602]

What a great performance by a great band! Very underrated group who never got the critical acclaim or commercial success they deserved. Still remember buying their album Seconds of Pleasure in college. Still a classic!

[@randyobregon]

Bremmer’s picking is on 🔥🔥🔥

[@bernardsoroko9570]

Four Rock & Roll heroes.

[@surfbandit7031]

Another hidden Rock Gem...ROCKPILE!

[@wakk44]

Just brilliant to watch this,class band who can all play and sing,no lip syncing or miming here,just proper rock and roll played live.Thanks for putting this little gem on KZbin.

[@donaldphee1651]

Hats off to the Danes for this excellent presentation. I never got see Rockpile but I've seen Edmonds and Lowe separately and they were both great acts this captures them in their prime. Great set list and all around performance by a Minimalist no bullshit band.

[@leftybass5860]

What a treat to find on a Friday night after a few beers !

[@richardtoy1600]

It's Friday night, and . . . yeah.

[@mikelord9860]

For me, it's early Friday morning and, well, one beer and leftover pizza after work. Sounds just as outstanding!

[@unviciouscircle]

Terry WIlliams for President. All time Fav Man drummer with Bob Richards on his heels.Geez the amount of times we used to hit the Roundhouse for Man ,Hawkwind and Fairies gigs.

[@franktaconelli9095]

one of the greatest Rock & Roll bands ever; gotta love that 8 string bass too

[@jamesfurman3739]

I just watched this entire performance all the way through. Incredibly tight band!

[@dlhdonn]

Somehow Rockpile missed radio play wherever I was at the time. I knew Dave Edmunds from his solo version of I Hear You Knockin' earlier and Nick Lowe had some notoriety from his solo tunes and song writing skills. As a late comer to discover Rockpile, with the added firepower of Terry Williams and Billy Bremmer...totally ranks in my mind right alongside Status Quo as the best purveyors of original, pure rock & roll. I'm sure enjoying catching up!!

[@johnbarry8542]

Hell here in the United States when I was a kid I'd be saying I'm going to see Nick Lowe or Rockpile and then people look at me like I'm a crazy man, what did he just say

[@TheZenDJ]

This is how to rock.

[@calnonhardy4002]

You get together four incredible musicians who can also write and you have a hit.

[@nedgentz5740]

Rock and roll, pure and simple. If you don't like this, then you don't like rock and roll.

[@mc2mc277]

GREAT POST!!! Thank you. 👍👍

[@stratpac]

Great! I love Rockpile, a band that was as tight as King Kong's arse! What a line up too. Pity they had to break up when they did as popular music today is short on bands like this who've picked up the best of the 50's and 60's rock music and re generated some great tunes and guitar licks for a fresh sound in the 70's/80's. Bring back Rockpile!

[@rolffriedrichwitte7547]

Terry was may Favorit Drummer, in MAN he was Amazing!

[@robertsmithers9059]

Goosebumps...

[@dougstorky3223]

Nov. 1980, the Agora in cleveland. Imagine a real bar crowd, not this silence. Was 18 in my first real bar concert, and it changed my life.

[@dditaranto]

The drummer, Terry Williams, looks just like Denny Laine! LOVE these guys!!!

[@ArchambaultMark]

You remember Denny Laine! Go now!

[@brianlevine2108]

Still have my Rockpile lp.Love Stiff Records!

[@ArchambaultMark]

If it ain't Stiff...

[@canadianroot]

Dave's lit. Love it.

[@PoppysGuitar]

Bremner is a monster

[@cuda426hemi]

Thank you for posting. The Pile rules. Edmunds is a stud, Nick is the Macca. The band is tighter than a nun's nasty.

[@garydonner6680]

You nailed it! LOL

[@NeilRichardsMusic]

That was fantastic. what a treat to find this on KZbin.I love this band. I saw them twice back in the day.I also saw Nick with his "cowboy outfit" and Dave a cupel of times as well. This is particularly interesting because of the immaculately clean mix.One can discern the incredible technical prowess of both Dave & Billy.Rockpile was by far the best of the new wave bands. Squeeze, The police and Elvis Costello were also good but these guys encapsulated and personified The era.I miss those days of my youth. thank you for posting this magnificent set

[@williamcurtin5692]

The whole lot of them should go into the increasingly useless HOF as a multiple entity.

[@waldosgrade]

Terry - thanks for posting! I saw Rockpile a couple of times in SF. Unforgettable shows. Thanks for a generation of excellent music. Say hello to the boys!

[@rkpotts]

Saw then in fall 1979 at the Earth tavern in Portland Oregon. The crowd was quite a bit more enthusiastic. My friends and I talked our way backstage and had a few beers. Great guys, incredible band.

[@ginnyginger8686]

I saw them in Oz in 1979 in Perth, Adelaide & Sydney - amazing. It all rocked big time.

[@evanwolf6618]

@@ginnyginger8686 Amyl & The Sniffers …. Pub Rock from Melbourne .. Please check them out … Thank You Australia !!!

[@jons7771]

Terry, your drums kick like a mule. Thanks man. Hello from Seattle.

[@theurbarnbassman]

Billy Bremner,,, What a guitarist! Fantastic,, a very big influence on me, after i seen Rockpile in 1979 at poole arts centre! thanks for posting.

[@edwardpasby8609]

Best concert I ever went to was Rockpile at the Warfield in SF 1980

[@deejaye2647]

Loved that place!

[@SRFDriver]

Man I love watching Billy Bremner play

[@ColinStuart]

Thank you Terry, we may have all gotten older, but we STILL can't forget our roots!

[@wacocrimatty]

Outfreaking standing! Thanks for posting this. Tremendous band all around!

[@TimSchmidt_art]

my favorite band ever

[@noahfanzerbutz3510]

Late 70s, I was a Prog-Rocker, and I was somewhat into the New Wave. And I got into these guys. Individually and collectively. Gawd, they were great.

[@sonofbarnsey]

Billy Bremner is a smoking guitarist, but everybody seems to forget about Dave Edmunds. His lead work isn't too shabby either

[@ashleymonday298]

Honestly I think you got it the wrong way round. Bremner never gets any damned credit.

[@jezebeljones659]

Yeah, that's what they say..ya think? I have adored Edmunds' work from the beginning. A consummate artist and typical mad Welshman, from what I hear. Looooooved Rockpile! What a superb band.

[@NumberSixAtTheVillage]

I'd like to see Dave Edmonds, Nick Lowe, John Fogerty, and Mark Knopfler all play together. You might even bring in Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

[@scottsutherland9126]

Holy shit! Billy Bremner!

[@davesmith5909]

Terry this is great! Thanks for uploading. Greetings from Victoria Australia.

[@WahlbergBabey]

Perrrrrfect! You know you love it when you’ve watched it so much you know the song lineup 😺

[@ronnieneo]

Pure magic 👍

[@inquiry7]

4 years: later I saw Rockpile in about 78 in Providence, RI., and I definitely remember Dave Edmunds was in the middle and made ALL the decisions. He was clearly in charge of the band.

[@Peeb53]

Saw these boys live superb band

[@rockyrovere2526]

4 Másters of Rock and Roll Peace, Rocky

[@mbwolf61]

So far, the best half hour I've had all week!

[@bobrat]

Loved going to see and dance to Rockpile 2-3 hour shows !!! MKE 70-80's

[@jgraham007]

I love that this footage exists, and thanks for posting it. Billy and Dave awesome 3-finger style guitarists. Also love how Dave forgets lyrics once in a while and just laughs it off.

[@quieterrps]

Terry, I can't possibly thank you enough for sharing this footage! While I loved Rockpile, I was never able to catch them back in the day (arriving late at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, N.J. and Blondie wouldn't even admit that she had a thing for me! So troubling! Lol!). I love the look on Dave's face after he says "I'm gonna make a meal of Deborah"! So amazing to see this, thank you and all the very best man!

[@steveundertoned9456]

Let's hear it for Billy Bremner! Especially those class A licks on the openener, Down Down Down.

[@nicmart]

It was a band of four excellent players.

[@atlantaguitar9689]

Great recording, pristine sound quality. Always loved Billy's playing in particular but Rockpile was a tight band all around.

[@annaxxx]

I think they shud make a gig together bfr it's too late. Always loved them.😍

[@thespringishere1540]

If Elvis had had any where-with-all or awareness of the music business c. 1976 outside of his own sphere he would have gotten clean, fired the Colonel and hired these guys to be his band. It would have transformed him when he most needed it.

[@tomcarl8021]

So, let me get this straight...You think Elvis should have fired James Burton, who is the best rock and roll guitarist in the world, and drummer Ronnie Tutt, who was one of the best drummers in America? Should he have also fired pianist David Briggs? David was a founder of the famous Muscle Shoals Sound, and is also one of the most successful producers in Nashville history. I can go on and on with the collection of world class talent Elvis had in his band that you think should have been fired and replaced by a bunch of kids from the UK... People like you can't except the fact Elvis moved on from Rockabilly. He moved on from it the same way The Beatles moved on from the lovable mop-top stuff.

[@tomcarl8021]

@@mbogucci1 He put his opinion out there and I simply disagreed with it. Heaven forbid something like that takes place, according to you.

[@mbogucci1]

@@tomcarl8021 Fair enough, Tom. My apologies.

[@jezebeljones659]

@@tomcarl8021 I think Elvis just should've had better taste. But rockabilly was his best era. He had a couple of great moments with "Suspicious Minds"and "In The Ghetto." The rest of what he did, after his military service, was shlock as far as I'm concerned. James Burton and Ronnie Tutt notwithstanding -- I respect both of them immensely, but a job's a job and that's what they, and l all of Elvis' musicians and handlers, were doing. Elvis wouldn't have had the brains to go for a group as smart, cool and authentic as Rockpile. He was too brainwashed and drug-addled, letting others do his thinking for him.

[@tomcarl8021]

@@jezebeljones659 If he stayed playing rockabilly, he wouldn't have become the most successful male singer of the twentieth fucking century. What the fuck is the matter with you?

[@kimgrant3879]

Gorgeous dave xx

[@TruthMirrororriM]

Surely the record contracts that kept Rockpile from effectively recording - they later released Rockpile albums as classic Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds albums -have lapsed? I say it’s prime time for a Rockpile reunion!

[@urasam2]

Dave deserved far more acclaim than he generally has

[@williamcurtin5692]

Nick's pretty much gotten his due, the other three not. The two "non-stars" are fabulous musicians.

[@stewajf]

Thank you very much for posting! The video and audio quality are excellent and the music is sublime!

[@ronfrankl]

Fantastic! A major addition to the Rockpile clips on You Tube. Thanks for sharing this

[@pattinton]

No fuss, no frills , straight forward rock n roll. great stuff.

[@jahnbon]

Nick is so damn intent on his groove, even when he's doing his own songs. So cool to see. Billy, Terry and Dave are relentless. Interesting to hear them playing so low - I figure the sound man had them turn down before the set! Thank you for posting this!

[@gerrycoogan6544]

Just turn the volume up to eleven.

[@alanhawley8900]

chemistry.....sheer class...!

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Awesome. Great drummer/voice/everything.

[@mcpappysgolden]

Another band that time forgot! What a great band. Thank you for posting.

[@hollynorris957]

SO refreshing to hear pure talent in world full of boring sameness. I you want to hear more of this intelligent inspired art you have to turn off the mind numbing machine called radio in the US and go look for it...rock on Rock Pile

[@jarpat]

Great songs and a great band it was. Thank You so much for publishing this video. Good quality too! I never had a chance to see this band alive. Excellent!

[@zombiezilla]

Awesome stuff! Rockpile kicked ass every time.

[@alicemeely]

Really very great and good

[@incongra]

Thanks for posting this it's fantastic.

[@billc6087]

What in God's name was I doing back then that I missed this great stuff?

[@syncout]

I looked forward to the new albums from this band all great talents they got me over the Lennon 5 year silence, been lucky to see and meet them on a few occasions and got everything

[@tattyshoesshigure5731]

Both Billy & Nick are still out there playing live... Nick with superb guitar band The Straitjackets, Billy with his excellent ‘Rockfiles’ band who play phenomenal Rockpile covers. I think Dave Edmunds has now fully retired from the music business, not sure what’s happening with Terry.

[@gerardjerry4637]

Thanks for posting your band yuo guys were great IMO you should be on the ballot for the R&R Halll of Fame

[@richardingate9832]

Came here from the Georgia Satellites,glad I did

[@brettthomson3689]

How good would it have been to have seen these guys at your local with a pint in your hand. The quintessential quality pub band.

[@widescreennavel]

8 String Bass guitar like Sting used in the Police once in a while. Amazing music.

[@Bravo65]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! for uploading this

[@waterboxer87]

Rockpile opened for Blondie at the Greek Theater Los Angeles in 1978. Wow! They got a better reception than the headliners. So glad I saw Rockpile live in a venue with a first class sound system.

[@j.l.hennig4339]

I want to play in a band like this!

[@Prreinke]

J.L. Hennig - don’t we all?

[@yragj6556]

saw them in summer of 79, audience was in a frenzy from the opening number til the end....