Eddie and the Hot Rods: Pioneers of pub rock and the punk spirit

Eddie and the Hot Rods are an English pub rock and punk rock band formed in Essex in 1975. They were part of the pub rock scene that predated and helped pave the way for British punk rock, blending high-energy rock 'n' roll with a rebellious edge that resonated with the burgeoning punk ethos.

While their music has a more straightforward rock sound than the aggressive punk of bands like The Sex Pistols, their energetic live performances and youthful attitude made them an important influence on the emerging punk scene...and they didn't have to deal with all those "they aren't real punk" arguments that would often bog punk down.

The band is best known for their hit single "Do Anything You Wanna Do," released in 1977 under the shortened band name "The Rods", the song reached No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart and became their defining track ("Mull of Kintyre" by Wings was the biggest track of 1977 in the UK, for the record). The song is probably a bit harder to most ears than most songs by The Only Ones.

The song captured the restless, defiant spirit of the time, and its sing-along chorus made it a favorite anthem for disaffected youth. Though Eddie and the Hot Rods never achieved the lasting commercial success of some of their contemporaries, their influence can be seen in the development of British punk and new wave music.

Eddie and the Hot Rods and the punk question

So, should we say the band was punk, or at least sort of punk? It doesn't really matter, but some are strict about genre distinctions. What can be said: Some of their songs were definitely played fast live, which was a hallmark of punk.

In fact, one review at the time said the band played one song "at a speed so close to the velocity of sound itself that the song seems to end several minutes before it began." (Charles Shaar Murray, New Musical Express, December 11, 1976)

Their early albums, such as Teenage Depression (1976) and Life on the Line (1977), feature a mix of raw, fast-paced rock with influences from 1960s garage rock and R&B. They toured extensively, gaining a reputation for their wild, energetic live shows, even if they didn't have mosh pits back then (or whatever). Throughout their career, they went through several lineup changes, but Barrie Masters, the charismatic frontman, remained a constant member until his death in 2019.

Their current lineup:
Simon Bowley
Ian "Dipster" Dean
Richard Holgarth
Mic Stoner

Final thoughts

Again, this is definitely one of the most "punk but not really trying to be punk" bands in rock history; as Howard Thompson of Island Records said "they’d play everything as if they were being chased by the cops."

Eddie and the Hot Rods have continued to perform over the years, maintaining a cult following among fans of pub rock and early punk. Their music stands as a reminder of the raw, rebellious energy that characterized the mid-1970s rock scene in the UK.