Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
Bram Tchaikovsky (born Peter Bramall) began playing in local pub rock bands in Lincolnshire, England, in the late '60s. He joined the Motors in 1977 and was relegated to mere sideman status by the nucleus of the band, songwriters Andy McMaster and Nick Garvey. While waiting on pre-production work for the second Motors album, Tchaikovsky took the... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s
Pub rock, the English roots rock movement of the early '70s, would never have earned a cult following if it wasn't for Brinsley Schwarz. Initially, Brinsley Schwarz was a rambling, neo-psychedelic folk-rock band that borrowed heavily from Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Grateful Dead. Following a disastrous publicity stunt to promote its debut... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s
Stereotyped early in his career as the quintessential angry young man, Graham Parker was one of the most successful singer/songwriters to emerge from England's pub rock scene of the early '70s. Drawing heavily from Van Morrison and the Rolling Stones, Parker developed a sinewy fusion of driving rock & roll and confessional folk-rock, highlighted... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s, 90s
Armed with only a modicum of musical ability, a self-deprecating sense of humour and no apparent fear of public humiliation, this Cockney bloke carved out a modest recording career. Anything to avoid returning to his former calling as a garbageman.He first attracted notice with his frenzied live shows, in which he showed no respect for his... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
While he wasn't one of the biggest names on Stiff Records, Jona Lewie was one of those irrepressible characters who gave the pioneering British indie label its utterly unique flavor. Born John Lewis, Lewie got his start in the early-'70s pub rock scene, playing keyboards for the Sussex group Brett Marvin & the Thunderbolts. Bizarrely, the group... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
Like Dave Edmunds, guitarist/pianist/vocalist Mickey Jupp was a champion of traditional rock & roll during the late '70s, a time when it had been all but discarded. Unlike Edmunds, Jupp wrote the majority of his own material, which updated '50s rock & roll with a tongue-in-cheek irony.
Jupp began his career with the Essex-based...
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Genre: Folk
Oystar are Dan, Kev, Ben and James from the UK. We write cheeky, topical tunes inspired by current affairs - whether it's bank charges ('I fought the Lloyds'), kids these days ('Babies in bikinis'), or Multi-culturalism ('We are the British'). We like writing songs that spark debate and bring important social issues to life. We're a new breed of... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
During the late '70s, Rockpile was the touring band for both Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe. Like Edmunds, the band was passionate about traditional rock & roll. Like Lowe, the band played with a reckless, trashy abandon. Driven by the powerful rhythm section of drummer Terry Williams and Lowe's bass, guitarists Billy Bremner and Edmunds were free... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
The Jam were the most popular band to emerge from the initial wave of British punk rock in 1977; along with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Buzzcocks, the Jam had the most impact on pop music. While they could barely get noticed in America, the trio became genuine superstars in Britain, with an impressive string of Top Ten singles in the... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s
The Undertones slam-bang punk-pop drew its strength from one simple fact: you didn't need a secret handshake to enjoy it. John and Damian O'Neill mated infectious guitar hooks to '60s garage, '70s glam rock, and Feargal Sharkey's signature vocal quaver. Those qualities came together on their breakout hit "Teenage Kicks," whose simplicity harked... [+] Read More
Genre: Rock/Pop
Decades Active: 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s
Although his career had pretty much flamed out by the start of the '80s, there were few punk-era major-label performers as intensely controversial as Tom Robinson. Cutting his teeth with folk-rockers Cafe Society (who released a Ray Davies-produced record on the head Kinks' Konk label in 1975), Robinson roared into the spotlight in 1978 with a... [+] Read More