Eggs Over Easy

Widely regarded as the band that gave birth to the British pub rock scene, this New York threesome – Jack O’Hara, Brien Hopkins and Austin de Lone – travelled to the UK in 1970 to record an album at Olympic Studios with Chas Chandler, ostensibly for Mercury Records.

The sessions certainly took place, but back in New York something went wrong on the business front and the band were advised to stay in London until it was sorted out.

With nothing better to do, they persuaded the landlord at their local jazz pub to give them a couple of gigs, and on 13 May 1971, debuted at the Tally Ho pub in Kentish Town with former Animals drummer John Steel sitting in.

The Eggs’ brand of quiet, laid-back country rock and soul – and a repertoire of over 100 songs which included covers of great Motown titles and songs by The Band and The Rolling Stones – earned them an immediate residency and pub rock was born.

As word spread, they caught the imagination of Brinsley Schwarz‘s manager Dave Robinson and the group’s bass player, Nick Lowe.

After a short UK tour supporting John Mayall, Eggs Over Easy returned to the US – where the album Good ‘n’ Cheap was finally released on A&M in 1972 – and they disbanded shortly afterwards.

Although they were only in London for a matter of months, the effect the Eggs had on music in the British capital would last for years.