Dave Edmunds: Black Bill

When Dave Edmunds released his first solo single, “I Hear You Knocking,” he chose a non-album cut to round out the single’s flipside. “Black Bill” is reminiscent of blues shuffle sounds of The Bill Black Combo. The only thing missing from this instrumental is the saxophone. It is replaced by Edmunds’ searing guitar leads.

I bought this single shortly after its release in 1971. His LP “Rockpile,” whose name was later was given to Edmund’s band, was not released until 1972. Edmunds plays all of the instruments on this cut – as he does on most of its associated LP.

Since it was a single only release, “Black Bill” was unavailable for thirty years after London Records (the distributor of MAM Records) ceased production of the single in 1971. In 2001, “Black Bill” once became available as a bonus track on the CD of “Rockpile.”

By the way, the “A” side, “I Hear you Knocking,” peaked at #4 – not bad for an initial solo release by an unknown artist on a brand new record label.