Eater | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Finchley,North London, England |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Years active | 1976–1979, 1996–1997, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2022–present |
| Labels | The Label |
| Members | Andy Blade, JoJo & The Teeth |
| Past members | Brian Haddock (aka Brian Chevette) Lutfi Radwan (aka Social Demise) Roger Bullen (aka Dee Generate) Ian Woodcock Phil Rowland Gary Steadman |
Eater are an early Britishpunk rock band fromNorth London who took their name from aMarc Bolan lyric.
In October 2001, the band's second single, "Thinking of the USA" (originally released in June 1977), was included inMojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.[1] In 1999, the track also appeared on the five-CDUniversal Records box set1-2-3-4 Punk & New Wave 1976-1979.[2]
Their sound has been characterized as "run-of-the-mill dole queue punk rock"[3] and "basic boy-ish punk rock".[4]
In 2022, Andy Blade collaborated withrock'n'roll band JoJo & The Teeth in a new incarnation of Eater, starting with warm up gigs under the alias Ant.
The band was formed in 1976 by four high school friends fromFinchley, North London:Anglo-Egyptian singer and guitarist Andy Blade (real name: Ashruf Radwan),[5] guitarist Brian Chevette (real name: Brian Haddock) and Blade's brother, drummer Social Demise (real name: Lutfi Radwan).[6]
The band's name came from a line in theMarc Bolan song "Suneye", from the 1970T. Rex (album) which features the verse "Tyrannosaurus Rex, the eater of cars." Eater later recorded acover version of T-Rex's "Jeepster."
Eater were known for being one of the youngest bands, if not the youngest band, in the punk scene. They were 14–17 years old when they formed the group.[7][8] "They were basically young kids, striving to master their instruments and out to shock", according toUp Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & EarlyPost Punk.[9]
Despite originating in London, the band made its first public performance on 20 September 1976 atManchester's Holdsworth Hall, featuringBuzzcocks as their support act. The band did not yet have a permanent bassist and rented a local musician for the show.[10] Lutfi Radwan (aka Social Demise) was soon replaced by drummer Dee Generate (real name: Roger Bullen), and by November 1976, they had recruited bassist Ian Woodcock in time to play their first London gig.[6] Lutfi Radwan went on to become a highly regardedscholar andacademic, who now lectures infood ethics and the central role ofsustainable living in a time ofscarcity in the 21st century.
Eater became one of the pioneering punk bands that played live in the first few months of the now-legendaryRoxy Club. They topped the bill twice in January 1977; the second time they were supported bythe Damned. They headlined again in February, this time supported byJohnny Moped, and twice more in March, supported first bythe Lurkers and then bySham 69.[11] They also supplied two of their tracks, "15" (a version of "I'm Eighteen" byAlice Cooper) and "Don't Need It", to the seminal live compilation albumThe Roxy London WC2, released on 24 June 1977 byHarvest Records. Extracts from their performances at The Roxy were also included inDon Letts'Punk Rock Movie (1978).
The band signed to a small London independent label called The Label, which released three initial singles produced byDave Goodman: "Outside View" (1 March 1977), "Thinkin' of the USA" (June 1977) and "Lock It Up" (October 1977).[6] The latter featured new drummer Phil Rowland, who had replaced Generate in May 1977.[6]
Their sole studio album, simply titledThe Album, was released on 11 November 1977.[6] Again produced by Goodman, it included sped-up versions of songs byDavid Bowie ("Queen Bitch") andthe Velvet Underground ("Sweet Jane" and "Waiting for the Man"). "All songs on their sole full-length release sound about the same, played with one stiff light-speed beat and a snotty vehemence to each track, adding up to a ridiculous classic", saidAllMusic critic Fred Beldin in a retrospective review, adding, "As fast and clumsy as the material is, there's an undeniable tunefulness at work, particularly in irresistible singalongs like 'No Brains' and 'Room for One', and the sprightly single 'Lock It Up' even attempts some naïvevocal harmonies as they sneer at theupper classes".[12]
The Label issued the four-song live EPGet Your Yo-Yo's Out, recorded atDingwalls, on 2 June 1978. Gary Steadman, who later formedClassix Nouveaux with the guitarist fromX-Ray Spex, replaced Chevette for their final single,[13] "What She Wants She Needs", produced by Martin Hayles and Gwyn Mathias and released in December 1978.[6] The band split up in January 1979.[6]Eater reformed in 2022.
Woodcock joinedthe Vibrators in July 1979,[6] appearing on their 1980 single, a cover ofThe Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'". Woodcock also played with Empire, the solo project of Generation X guitaristDerwood Andrews.[14]
Rowland joinedSlaughter & the Dogs, appearing on their 1979 single, apunk rock cover version of theFrankie Valli tune, "You're Ready Now",[15] and later played withthe London Cowboys, a band which featuredSex Pistols' bassistGlen Matlock, Generation X bassist Tony James,The Heartbreakers'Jerry Nolan andThe Clash's original drummer,Terry Chimes ( aka 'Tory Crimes' ) .[6]
Steadman formedClassix Nouveaux withJak Airport ofX-Ray Spex in 1979,[6] playing on their 1981 debutNight People.
Blade made several attempts to create a solo career during the 1980s, but failed to secure a deal. In 2005, he published a book about his times with Eater and beyond, calledThe Secret Life of a Teenage Punk Rocker: The Andy Blade Chronicles (Cherry Red Books).[16][17]
Eater reformed to play the firstHolidays in the Sun festival, held in 1996 inBlackpool,[18] and recorded two new songs in 1997 ("Going Down" and "Vegetable Girl") for a projected single that was never released. Both tracks later appeared onThe Eater Chronicles 1976-2003 compilation, released in 2003 by Anagram Records.[6][19]
They played another reunion show on 14 May 1999 at theBrighton Centre, supportingFugazi.[20]
Eater reformed again in 2006, playing a one-off gig at the100 Club on 28 September, supported byT. V. Smith ofthe Adverts, and supportingBuzzcocks on 2 December (the 30th anniversary of their original tour) atThe Forum.
Andy Blade relaunched Eater in 2022, playing shows across the UK – an album is planned for release in 2023.
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