Slipping Away

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove to Slipping Away by Dave Edmunds from his 1983 album Information! This track, a slick slice of '80s pop-rock, was penned and produced by Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra fame. In a 2015 Songfacts interview, Edmunds shared that he was drawn to Lynne's studio wizardry, calling him "Mr. Techno" for his ability to craft hits from scratch. However, the song's heavy use of synthesizers, a departure from Edmunds' usual rockabilly roots, left some fans puzzled. "I got a lot of stick," Edmunds admitted, with fans accusing him of "selling out" to the synth-heavy '80s sound. Despite the backlash, Slipping Away hit #39 on the Billboard Hot 100, boosted by a music video featuring auto racing footage that scored heavy rotation on MTV.

Another tidbit from the PowerPop blog reveals that Edmunds himself wasn't overly invested in the video's direction, leaving it to the record company and director Peter Sinclair. "I never had any interest in making videos to express the music," he said, reflecting his focus on the music itself over visual trends. Fans on Reddit have noted the unmistakable Lynne touch, with ELO's Richard Tandy even laying down keyboard tracks. Some longtime listeners, though, felt the song leaned too heavily into ELO's polished vibe, missing the raw edge of Edmunds' earlier work with Rockpile. Still, its catchy hook and Lynne's production sheen make it a standout for Zoo Crew spins.

Dave Edmunds, born April 15, 1944, in Cardiff, Wales, kicked off his musical journey as a young teen, diving into rock and roll with a passion for 1950s-style sounds. At ten, he formed the Edmunds Bros Duo with his older brother Geoff, playing piano before picking up the guitar. By 1957, the brothers joined the Stompers (later the Heartbeats), a local band where Dave took on lead guitar. His early bands, like the 99ers and Crick Feathers' Hill-Bills, gigged around Cardiff, honing his chops. In 1966, Edmunds joined the short-lived Image, followed by the Human Beans, a blues-rock outfit that recorded a cover of Morning Dew. By 1967, he co-founded Love Sculpture, which scored a UK Top 5 hit with a frenetic rock version of Khachaturian's Sabre Dance, catching the ear of DJ John Peel.

Edmunds' big break came in 1970 with his solo cover of Smiley Lewis' I Hear You Knocking, a UK Christmas #1 and US Top 4 hit that sold over three million copies. Discovered while producing Shakin' Stevens, the track was a happy accident after Edmunds scrapped plans to record Let's Work Together when Canned Heat beat him to it. His meticulous, Spector-inspired production style—layering up to forty guitar tracks—defined his early solo work, like 1975's Subtle as a Flying Mallet. Collaborations with Nick Lowe and Rockpile in the late '70s cemented his pub rock and new wave cred, leading to hits like Girls Talk and Queen of Hearts.

Connect with Dave Edmunds online! His official website is daveedmunds.com. You can find him on Facebook and follow his updates on X. While he doesn't have an active Instagram, fans keep the vibe alive on Facebook groups like the Dave Edmunds Appreciation Society. For more fan-driven love, check out rockpile.com, a tribute site celebrating his work with Rockpile and beyond. Zoo Freaks, keep spinning those records and stay wild!