Eric Ambel

One of the leading lights of the roots rock movement, Eric "roscoe" Ambel has been making a name for himself since the late '70s with his fiery guitar work, witty but passionate songwriting, and no-nonsense approach to rock & roll as both a sideman and a producer.

Born in Batavia, IL, Ambel's career in music began while he was studying at the University of Wyoming. A fan of straight-ahead rock who wasn't much impressed with disco or corporate rock, Ambel had his ears opened up in 1978 by a Ramones/Dictators double bill and soon met up with three like-minded rock fans to form a punk group called The Dirty Dogs. The band cut a self-released single, "Sorority Girl"/"Eric's Move," and gigged frequently around Wyoming and Colorado before changing their name to The Accelerators and relocating to Los Angeles in 1979. While they failed to make a major impact in California, Ambel did score a gig with Joan Jett, who was putting together a new band after the breakup of The Runaways. Ambel toured and recorded as a member of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts until 1981, when he moved to New York and joined forces with former Dictators guitarist Scott "top Ten" Kempner to form The Del Lords. A regional success on the East Coast and a favorite with critics, The Del Lords released four studio albums and a live set between 1984 and 1990, when Ambel left the band shortly before they called it quits.

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