The Hot Rods - On the Road in 2020. In memory of Barrie Masters.
THE HOT RODS – On the Road in 2020
In Memory of Barrie Masters
*With Special Guests, Department S (‘Is Vic There?’)
** With Department S and Duncan Reid & The Big Heads (ex- The Boys)
Many people remember Eddie & the Hot Rods for their hit single Do Anything You Wanna Do, which in 1977 spent the whole of the Summer in the UK Top Ten. Some will remember them for being the first UK band to be labelled ‘Punk’ by the music press, some may remember the record breaking, consecutive sell-out shows at the famous Marquee Club. In France they were the first ‘Punk’ band to appear on national TV and appeared at the famous Mont De Marson Punk Festival, but It’s safe to say that everybody remembers them as one hell of a live band.
A year or so before The Sex Pistols, The Damned, The Clash etc formed, Eddie & the Hot Rods were playing their high energy, no frills style of rock n roll to sell out venues. They influenced a generation of teenagers hungry for something ‘real’ and achievable. Since the original line up split in 1979 there have been many changes, but only one line up has stayed together for 18 years, making Eddie the Hot Rods the band they were back in those crazy days of Punk rock.
For the last 19 years Barrie, Simon, Dipster, Richard and Chris have toured relentlessly; the USA ,Asia; Scandinavia, Europe and Russia became a yearly routine, new albums recorded and a huge arena tour opening for rock legends Status Quo in 2012 proved Eddie & the Hot Rods were once again up there with the best.
In 2018 it was clear that Barrie Masters health was bad and he was diagnosed with COPD. Later that year, the band announced that 2019 would be their last and Barrie would retire. That year saw the band play alongside Stiff Little Fingers, they also played a special London farewell show with a few famous special guests and Barrie picked up a Lifetime Achievement award at the Vive le Rock awards. Tragedy struck in October that year when Barrie unexpectedly passed away and tributes flooded in as the news broke.
Tributes to Barrie Masters were led online by Spandau Ballet’s Gary and Martin Kemp, The Damned’s Captain Sensible and TV nature show host Chris Packham. His funeral was attended by all living original members of Eddie & The Hot Rods, Dr Feelgood, and Green Day’s live guitarist Kevin Preston who made a special journey following a performance at the MTV Video Music Awards.
After the funeral, the remaining Hot Rods, overwhelmed by messages of support from fans all over the world and at the insistence of Barrie’s family, have decided that they would do a special memorial tour, playing as simply ‘The Hot Rods ‘as a mark of respect .With Dipster taking the role of vocals, Simon on drums , Richard on guitar and new recruit Mic Stoner ( ex-Chords UK) on bass, the band continue to be one of the most exciting live bands around.
APRIL
17TH: CHELMSFORD, Football Club* https://www.ents24.com/chelmsford-events/the-clarets-bar-chelmsford-city-fc/eddie-and-the-hot-rods/5947147
JUNE
11TH: PUTNEY, Half Moon* https://tickets.halfmoon.co.uk/events/2020-06-11-the-hot-rods-in-memory-of-barrie-masters-half-moon-putney
12th: LEICESTER, The Musician* https://www.ents24.com/leicester-events/the-musician/the-hot-rods/5959761
14th: BARNOLDSWICK , Music & Arts Centre*. ‘Concert For The Kids’ charity event https://www.barnoldswickmusicandartscentre.com/eddie-and-the-hotrods
19th: BRIGHTON, Patterns* https://dice.fm/event/29npo-the-hot-rods-19th-jun-patterns-brighton-tickets?_branch_match_id=650233769222163917
25th: SHEFFIELD, Greystones* https://www.ents24.com/sheffield-events/the-greystones/the-hot-rods/5977867
26th: BUCKLEY, The Tivoli* http://tivolivenue.com/events/eddie-the-hotrods-department-s-friday-26th-june-2020/
SEPTEMBER
18th: GUILDFORD, Holroyd Arms* https://www.seetickets.com/tour/the-hot-rods-department-s?fbclid=IwAR1_92_mdWHuV4YfuIQAHM_4uN7Yjv0iNr6jk29bNpRV72KehudCqhhjlwA
19th: NOTTINGHAM, Rescue Rooms*
25th: CAMBRIDGE, The Junction** https://www.junction.co.uk/hot-rods#tickets
26th: NORWICH, Epic Studios** https://epic-tv.com/events/event/hot-rods-department-s/
OCTOBER
3RD: LONDON (Leytonstone), Red Lion Ballroom https://dice.fm/event/2962o-the-hot-rods-in-memory-of-barrie-masters-3rd-oct-red-lion-ballroom-london-tickets?_branch_match_id=650233769222163917
