Tenpole Tudor
Eddie Old Bob Dick And Gary

THE REVIEW

Formed in 1974 by Edward Tudor-Pole, a direct descendant of Henry VIII, Tenpole Tudor only managed to break through in 1980-81, when punk had already given way to new wave. This group should therefore be classified as post-punk, although it is difficult to label them truly. Let's say they are a band that plays good rock 'n' roll; only their version spins at 78 RPM instead of 33.

Two guitars (Bob Kingston and Dick Crippen), a drum (the bespectacled Gary Long) and, leading it all, the histrionic Eddie Tenpole (as their frontman was known), who dances, jumps, and performs a host of acrobatic exercises; he also sings, but in his own way... punk, indeed.

The energy unleashed by the quartet from the date of its founding didn't overly impress record labels: no contract until 1980, except for a small project (a paltry single) for Korovo Records. The break in the clouds opened only after Eddie was contacted by Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols to replace Johnny Lyndon on vocals, who was on the verge of moving toward a less unruly and almost bourgeois existence. Sid Vicious died just three weeks later, but Eddie Tenpole managed to participate in the semi-documentary film about the Pistols The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, performing among other things a shattered version of "Rock Around The Clock" and his own song "Who Killed Bambi". The hype around this performance attracted the attention of Stiff Records' executives to him and his band, producing two albums and a handful of 45s by Tenpole Tudor... before Eddie broke up the group, dedicating himself to less caustic sounds like cajun and jazz.

The simple, "stadium" lyrics and the dense soundscape, along with the singing of Edward Tudor Pole (alias Eddie Tenpole), make this band simply iconic. Their performances are best enjoyed with a visual aid, as it is truly extraordinary what Eddie manages to do on stage. And his "costumes"! A genuine actor.

And it's no surprise: acting is also the true profession of this scion of the Tudor house. Occasionally, he appears in a secondary—but always unforgettable—role in some successful films: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, GamesZ, Absolute Beginners, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Quills, Syd & Nancy (the story of the fatal relationship between Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen), etc. It is said he also acted in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but this is unconfirmed. The fact remains that his decision to plunge into the world of sound gave birth to Tenpole Tudor, an immensely enjoyable project.

For those who want to venture into listening: all "post-mortem" compilations of this group are highly recommended. From The Best of Tenpole Tudor: Swords of a Thousand Men to Wunderbar: Stiff Records Singles Collection. Perhaps even more the double Swords of a Thousand Men, published in May 2001 but still available on Amazon.com and other online retail stores.