Dave Edmunds

Dave Edmunds

Dave Edmunds is a singer, guitarist and producer from Cardiff, Wales. He is associated with rock, blues rock, pop rock, power pop, pub rock, rock and roll and New Wave, and he is known for a career built largely around cover versions and other material written for him, rather than his own songwriting.

Early work and solo breakthrough

In the late 1960s, Edmunds leads the blues-rock trio Love Sculpture, which scores attention with its fast rock version of Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance. The recording becomes a hit after British DJ John Peel champions it. After Love Sculpture splits, Edmunds has a number one single with a cover of Smiley Lewis’s I Hear You Knocking.

His only acting role follows in Stardust, the David Essex film from 1974, where he appears as a band member.

Production work and pub rock period

After learning production, Edmunds records singles in a Phil Spector style, including Baby I Love You and Born To Be With You. He becomes linked with the pub rock movement of the early 1970s and produces Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe and The Flamin’ Groovies, using a stripped-down, grittier sound. His solo album Subtle As A Flying Mallet follows in a similar style.

Rockpile and late 1970s success

In 1977, the Brinsley Schwarz connection leads to a collaboration with Nick Lowe under the name Rockpile, with Billy Bremner and Terry Williams. Because of contractual restrictions, the group does not record as Rockpile until 1980, although contemporary solo albums by Lowe and Edmunds are group recordings in practice. During this period, Edmunds has hits with Elvis Costello’s Girls Talk, Nick Lowe’s I Knew The Bride, Hank DeVito’s Queen of Hearts, Graham Parker’s Crawling From The Wreckage and Melvin Endsley’s Singing The Blues, which was previously a hit for Guy Mitchell.

Rockpile’s first album under its own name, Seconds Of Pleasure, appears in 1980. The band then splits, with tensions between Edmunds and Lowe often given as the reason.

1980s collaborations and later work

During the 1980s, Edmunds works as a producer and collaborator with a wide range of acts, including Paul McCartney, King Kurt, The Stray Cats and Status Quo. He records the soundtrack for Porky’s Revenge, including the main theme High School Nights, and serves as musical director for a television special on Carl Perkins that also features George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Rosanne Cash.

On the 1983 and 1984 releases Information and Riff Raff, he co-writes two songs with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra. He records less frequently after the mid-1980s and later lives in Wales in semi-retirement.

Groups and affiliations

Edmunds is associated with Love Sculpture, Rockpile, The Crawling King Snakes, Rockestra, The Dave Edmunds Band and Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band. He is also linked with Dave Edmunds Productions Ltd.