| Brinsley Schwarz |
Andrews,
Rankin, Schwarz, Lowe, Gomm
|
| Background information |
| Origin |
England |
| Genre(s) |
Rock
Pub
Rock |
| Years active |
1969–1974 |
| Label(s) |
Capitol
Records
United Artists Records |
| Members |
Nick
Lowe
Brinsley Schwarz
Billy Rankin
Bob
Andrews
Ian
Gomm (1970-1974) |
Brinsley Schwarz is a 1970s English
pub
rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz.
With Nick
Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band had evolved into
its most well-known form by 1969 after achieving some success as
Kippington Lodge.
Brinsley Schwarz signed a contract with manager Dave
Robinson, who developed a plan to earn the band some publicity. They
were to open for Van Morrison at the Fillmore
East in New York City, and Robinson would fly
all the leading British rock critics to the show so
they could review it. Though the band had planned on leaving a few days
early so they could rehearse, visa problems prevented this and
they arrived in New York right before they were to begin. The critics'
plane was delayed for four hours, and they arrived at the show either
drunk or hung over. The show did not go over well, and the band
received a flood of negative reviews over the course of the next few
weeks.
In 1970, Brinsley Schwarz released Despite
It All, which had a definite country
sound to it, after adding Ian Gomm. Their wild performances
soon garnered the band a large fanbase at English pubs,
such as 'Tally Ho' in Kentish Town. Along with other bands
like Eggs Over Easy, Brinsley
Schwarz was soon dubbed "pub rock" by rock journalists. They sounded,
at times, very much like The Band, with Schwarz's guitar work
influenced greatly by Robbie Robertson's.
1972's ironic take on country-rock, Nervous
on the Road, received excellent reviews but did
not reach the charts; neither did a series of singles or Please Don't Ever Change
(1973).
They continued recording for a time, but broke up in 1975.
Schwarz and Andrews joined Graham Parker &
the Rumour, later Andrews moved to New Orleans and now plays in Dos
Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar and has a web page www.neworleanspiano.com.
Rankin joined Terraplane and then Big
Jim Sullivan's Tiger. Ian Gomm and Nick Lowe both began solo
careers, achieving moderate mainstream success, including Lowe's (1980)
single "Cruel to Be Kind", an unrecorded Brinsley composition, and
Gomm's 1979 hit "Hold On."
The original version of Elvis
Costello's hit "(What's
So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding," written by Lowe, was
released by the band in 1974
on their album The New
Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz.
Discography
- Brinsley Schwarz
(April 1970)
- Despite It All
(December 1970)
- Silver Pistol
(October 1971)
- Greasy Truckers Party
(June 1972)
- Nervous on the Road
(September 1972)
- Please Don't Ever Change
(October 1973)
- The New
Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz (July 1974)
- The Last Album (June 1975)
- Rarities (July 2000)
External links
