Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams, individually, are among the most accomplished artists to come out of the “pub rock” scene. Joined as Rockpile, they are a true rock legend. Though the band only recorded one album, 1980’s Seconds of Pleasure, under its own name, the Rockpile sound is instantly recognizable.  It graced solo LPs by Edmunds and Lowe as well as tracks by Mickey Jupp and Carlene Carter (then Lowe’s wife). Eagle Records will on August 22 release on CD the first-ever Rockpile live album, taken from the band’s 1980 performance at Montreux.

The Rockpile name first surfaced in 1970 on a Dave Edmunds solo LP and was used when Edmunds toured in support of the album as “Dave Edmunds and Rockpile.” Terry Williams, on drums, was among the members of that touring band. Around the same time, Nick Lowe was making waves as a member of Brinsley Schwarz. When Edmunds was enlisted to produce the band in 1974, he and Lowe realized their common sensibility, and pushed the folk/country/rockabilly revivalists into a forward-thinking power pop style, a forerunner of New Wave. The Rockpile lineup was formed shortly thereafter but record company politics kept it from being much more than an on-again, off-again concern; Lowe was the first artist signed to Stiff Records, while Edmunds recorded for Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song label. Still, Rockpile played on albums by both Lowe and Edmunds including Lowe’s first two solo LPs and Edmunds’ Tracks on Wax 4 and Repeat When Necessary. In 1980, Edmunds was extricated from his Swan Song contract and committed to a Rockpile album proper, Seconds of Pleasure.

Hit the jump for more, including the complete track listing of the new set!

The Summer 1980 Montreux gig preceded the album, which was released in October, but the band previewed “Teacher, Teacher” which kicked off Seconds and was also released as a single. Many of the most familiar songs by Lowe and Edmunds were performed at the concert and are on the 16-track CD, including “So It Goes,” “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll),” “Crawling from the Wreckage,” “I Hear You Knocking” and Elvis Costello’s “Girls Talk.” Despite all that the group had been through over the years, they didn’t last long as an actual band, and disbanded shortly after the release of Seconds of Pleasure. Lowe and Edmunds didn’t reunite until 1988 for Lowe’s LP Pinker and Prouder Than Previous.

Live at Montreux documents a great night in the careers of Dave Edmunds (guitar, vocals), Nick Lowe (bass, vocals), Billy Bremner (guitar, vocals) and Terry Williams (drums) and it’s due in stores on August 22.  It should prove a fine appetizer for Lowe’s newest solo effort, That Old Magic, which is coming from Yep Roc in the fall.  A pre-order link for Live at Montreux isn’t yet available, but we’ll insert one below as soon as possible!

Rockpile, Live at Montreux (Eagle Records EAGCD452, 2011)

1. Sweet Little Liza
2. So It Goes
3. I Knew The Bride
4. Queen Of Hearts
5. Switchboard Susan
6. Trouble Boys
7. Teacher Teacher
8. Girls Talk
9. Three Time Loser
10. Fine Fine
11. Crawling From The Wreckage
12. Let It Rock
13. I Hear You Knocking
14. They Called It Rock
15. Ju Ju Man
16. Let’s Talk About Us

All tracks previously unreleased on CD.