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Pub rock was a mid- to late-1970s musical movement, largely centred around North London and South East Essex, particularly Canvey Island and Southend on Sea. Pub rock was largely a reaction to much of the popular music of the era, which tended to be dominated by progressive rock and highly polished, supposedly over-produced American West Coast 'AOR' sounds. Many viewed such music as inaccessible and 'out of touch', whilst pub rock was very much about getting 'back to basics', tending to be based around live performances in small pubs and clubs, playing unpretentious rhythm and blues influenced hard rock.
Pub rock was viewed by many as being an immediate precursor to the UK punk rock scene. Indeed, many pub rock acts such as Eddie and the Hot Rods went on to find fame in the first wave of British punk, whilst groups such as the 101er's featured Joe Strummer of The Clash, and Kilburn and the High Roads included Ian Dury amongst their members.
Venues
In North London, one of the most notable venues for pub rock was the Hope and Anchor pub on Islington's Upper Street, still a venue (right). Other important pub rock venues included the Pegasus Music Hall - a pub in spite of its name - on Green Lanes, the Dublin Castle in Camden Town, The Pied Bull at The Angel (also gone), Bull and Gate in Kentish Town and the George Robey in Finsbury Park (derelict, likely to be demolished). Many of these pub venues, particularly the Hope and Anchor, became notable for hosting punk rock later.
Besides the well-known venues, many other London pubs of the time would hire out the large meeting halls, music halls or ex-billiards rooms they often had available as do-it-yourself gigs for aspiring pub or punk rock musicians.
Influential pub rock acts
- The 101er's
- Ace
- Bees Make Honey
- Blast Furnace and the Heatwaves
- Brinsley Schwarz
- Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers
- Clancy
- Elvis Costello
- The Count Bishops
- Ducks Deluxe
- Eddie And The Hot Rods
- Dave Edmunds
- Eggs over Easy
- Dr. Feelgood
- John Otway
- Wilko Johnson
- Mickey Jupp
- The Hamsters
- The Inmates
- Kilburn and the High Roads
- Kokomo
- The Kursaal Flyers
- Lew Lewis Reformer
- Nick Lowe
- Man
- The Motors
- Graham Parker and the Rumour
- Riff Raff (Billy Bragg's first band)
- Ruthless Blues
- The Smirks
- Sniff 'n' the Tears
- Squeeze
- The Stranglers
- Tyla Gang
- Wreckless Eric
See also
Further information
- No Sleep Till Canvey Island: The Great Pub Rock Revolution by Will Birch
- Southend Music Venues by Southend Sites]
"Pub rock (UK)"