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As a member of Generation X, Bob “Derwood” Andrews was responsible for creating some of the most intense and cutting guitar riffs of the punk movement. However, after leaving the band in late 1979, he found himself working odd jobs, like stacking chairs after boxing matches in Wembley Arena for a small amount of money each night. His next project, Empire, ultimately failed both in terms of critical reception and commercial success.
Andrews served as an inspiration to many notable artists from the American underground scene, such as Fugazi and Henry Rollins. He was a member of Empire, which released only one album titled “Expensive Sound”. This album is recognized as a masterpiece for its clear and restrained musical style, and has earned praise from numerous fans including Johnny Marr of the Smiths and John Squire of the Stone Roses. However, it is also considered a “lost album” in the post-punk genre, and the journey to gaining recognition for its greatness has been a long and winding one.
During the time of Generation X, Billy Idol and bassist Tony James served as the main songwriters and planners. Meanwhile, Andrews and drummer Mark Laff were only 17 and 18 years old, respectively, and were hired to help with the band. Andrews had recently been taken from his hard-rock band Paradox and was quickly groomed for the stage. He recalls being too afraid to move much during his first Generation X performance, especially since he still had stray hairs from his recent haircut down his back and neck.
During the production of their second album, Valley of the Dolls, the band’s power dynamics became too difficult to manage. According to Andrews, Idol and James were insistent on controlling the band’s image and discouraged him from speaking with the media or expressing his admiration for “dinosaur” bands like Deep Purple. This made him question his value to the band and ultimately led him to reconsider his role.
The record company for Generation X decided to release Andrews and Laff from their contracts due to the low sales of their album. Strangely enough, Andrews’ job stacking chairs was actually a positive change: “I felt a huge sense of relief. I was no longer tied down and financially I was in a better position; we were only making £30 a week with Generation X. It wasn’t like leaving a successful band like Foo Fighters.”
Furthermore, Andrews was experiencing a novel auditory sensation. While Valley of the Dolls, helmed by Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople, embodied a glam-inspired, all-in approach, Andrews was now turning his focus inward. He explains, “In 1979, [Laff and I] developed a completely new method for working with Generation X. I’m not certain if the other two members enjoyed or valued it. Thus, we took our previously used single-string riffs and made them even more open and simplistic.”
Initially, the pair had simple goals: “We wanted to be an instrumental group; I would be like Hank Marvin.” However, Andrews soon discovered the importance of lyrics and vocal melodies and decided to sing. Bringing in gentle bassist Simon Bernal, the three practiced in his parents’ kitchen “until the neighbors created a petition to prohibit us.” By August 1980, they had prepared enough of Andrews’ compositions to make an album and perform live.
The Empire’s music style, which was very minimalistic, went against the popular trends of the time such as New Romanticism, synth-pop, and the new wave of British heavy metal. Additionally, Andrews, despite not being the typical frontman, purposely put himself in uncomfortable situations while performing: “I have always challenged myself to feel uneasy. However, the audience can sense when you are shy or uncomfortable, and it can make them feel the same way.”
The only single released by Empire, titled Hot Seat / All These Things, came out in April 1981 through a small independent label. A full-length album, Expensive Sound, was released the following month. Andrews, who was responsible for the graphic design, chose a unique die-cut jacket with minimal information. “I was quite inexperienced and slightly embarrassed. I didn’t even credit myself as the vocalist.”
The small number of reviews were extremely critical; feeling disappointed by Bernal’s lack of dedication, Andrews fired him after only four performances. The group struggled on with several changes in members, but with little success. Despite their talent and punk background, it seemed that the end had come for Empire.
Despite facing criticism in their home country, the band still made an impact overseas. Their influence reached Washington DC, a city struggling to keep its punk scene alive.
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In previous years, the hardcore punk scene in the city, led by bands like Minor Threat, the Faith, and Void, had gained recognition for DC. However, as key bands disbanded and concerts became more aggressive, it seemed like the intense nature of hardcore had reached a standstill. When asked about this period, Ian MacKaye, singer of Minor Threat, remembers, “The breakup of The Faith was a significant event. And the scene just…it wasn’t great. It was disheartening, with many people leaving. We held meetings to discuss ‘what are we going to do?'”
The music from Empire presented a new perspective. When Skip Groff, the owner of a record store, came back from London with a 7″ copy, influential people in the scene like Michael Hampton and Chris Bald of Embrace were drawn to its raw, straightforward, and emotionally raw sound. The record caused a stir in the close-knit punk community.
However, a year later, the situation changed drastically when a promotional copy of Expensive Sound was discovered in a brief-lived record store in the suburbs. During his sole visit, a youthful punk named Guy Picciotto struck luck. “At first, I wasn’t sure if it was a real release because it looked so minimal, but it had the songs from the single and some cool Xeroxed promotional sheets inside, so I decided to take a chance,” he recalls. He promptly brought it to Dischord House, the headquarters for the DC punk label of the same name. “As soon as we heard the first song, we were completely blown away.”
During the time period when Picciotto was in a band called Rites of Spring, their music combined intense emotional expression with a fast-paced punk style. Their 1985 album is now considered by many to be the start of the emo genre. When Picciotto later joined Fugazi in 1987, he had fully embraced their expensive sound. Recently, while listening to their album with his wife Kathi Wilcox from the band Bikini Kill, Picciotto struggled to recognize its impact. However, his wife pointed out that it sounded similar to Fugazi’s music. For the first time, Picciotto realized the direct influence Rites of Spring had on his own music and how deeply it was ingrained in his artistic style.
After the dissolution of Empire, Andrews established the neo-rockabilly band Westworld and achieved unexpected success in the UK with their hit single “Sonic Boom Boy” in 1987. In the mid-90s, he ventured into a new direction with Moondogg, a blend of electronic pop and rock. Currently, he maintains a quiet lifestyle, residing near Joshua Tree National Park in California. However, he remains active and recently released a collaborative album called “Derwood and the Rat” earlier this year with Rat Scabies from the Damned, which was originally intended as a follow-up to Empire’s album.
Even though Expensive Sound has been reissued four times, Andrews was not aware of the band’s influence until recently. When informed of their impact on the DC punk scene, he feels both puzzled and proud. He responds, “If I heard someone say that, I would assume they were talking about someone really cool that I’ve never heard of!” The album was the first time he wrote 11 songs and he felt like he had escaped a negative situation that was taking a toll on him mentally. He describes the recording process as very optimistic and believes that energy translated into the final product.
Source: theguardian.com
