Suburban Studs

Eddy Zipps (vocals, guitar), Keith Owen (guitar),
Paul Morton (bass), Steve Harrington (sax) & Steve Pool (drums)

Formed in 1976 and hailing from Birmingham The Suburban Studs with their already punky sounding name were one of the first bands to be signed to an independent, the equally punky sounding Pogo Records, and marketed through the major label WEA Records.

In their time they released two singles and even an album within a year, a feat not reached by many a punk band of the time. Originally featuring the sax antics of Steve Harrington the instrument was felt to be inappropriate to their sound and he left to start the Neon Hearts.

After the release of the album and indifferent reviews the band just disappeared.

Like many other bands, Suburban Studs didn’t come out of the musical womb fully punk formed and had a more pedestrian prehistory. Originally a rock covers band called Gnasher, they evolved into Hamburger Mary and then the Zipper Kids before becoming the Suburban Studs. At this time their punk credential was purely in name as the picture below shows.

They played their first London gig at the 100 Club on the 31st August ’76 supporting the Sex Pistols and The Clash. A quote from a Sounds review by John Ingham appears The Clash book “Last Gang In Town” where he describes their set as ‘a laughable mixture of tacky jumpsuits, tacky make-up, tacky props and tacky music’.

October was a busy month for the band. The Suburban Studs also headlined over the Clash on the 27th of October ’76 at Barbarellas in Birmingham, this time complete with haircuts for some of the band and a more punk image, though still playing the same dated glam set as they did at the 100 Club. They also support The Runaways at the Roundhouse and their short tour.

Suburban Studs became the Midlands biggest punk/new wave band and luck was at hand when Ron Lee launched Pogo Records and he also ran Lee Sound Studio in Walsall and signed the band. The result was the Questions single released in June 1977 in a plain paper sleeve to save money and featured Steve Harrington on sax. The run was 1000 and was distributed by Virgin.

By the time of its release and it doing well, discussions were around signing to WEA (Warner Elektra, Atlantic) but as they were already signed to Pogo the deal would be for WEA to license and distribute them.

Part of the deal would be for Atlantic to re-release the debut single with their wider distribution potential as it got favourable reviews. Eddie in the Birmingham fanzine Censored #1 claimed the band “… were not really completely happy with it. This would likely have been the sax element as Steve Harrington who formed the band and played sax on the single had left to form the Neon Hearts.

In another interview with local Birmingham paper Evening Mail they were reported as going back into the studio to begin work on an album. Only 3 songs made it from the 1976 Suburban Studs set.

The Clash gig from the previous year (see poster left) raised some animosity. Bernie Rhodes saw the Suburban Studs as the old guard and slated them. The band believed that the Clash’s view of them had cost them vital London gigs.

It’s such a closed shop in London it’s got to the stage now that if The Clash don’t like you, nobody does, especially the media… the whole London scene stinks to me… anyone outside doesn’t stand a chance. … we haven’t had an easy ride like the London Bands. Chainsaw #1, June 1977

The band believed that the London bands had it easier to get publicity and reviews and get record deals. They refused to move down to London, thinking it was defeating the object, as they were a Birmingham band.

Comments on their past more glammy pre-history were also put straight by them.

Keith There seems to be some confusion about our past…We’ve always sung about social probelms, -glam rock some people called it – but we were never into that side of things, it always has been earthy street music….riot music.

Eddie …I wore a jacket thenn with ‘social mutant’ written on.

Chainsaw #1 June 1977

The reissued Questions came out in November 1977 with a punky picture sleeve and they did a John Peel session broadcast in December. Gigs at the usual suspects like the Marquee, Vortex, Roxy Club and Barbarellas and tours supporting the likes of AC/DC  all helped build momentum.

WEA supported with marketing and also helped land them on the double Live At The Hope And Anchor album with a live version of I Hate School along with The Stranglers, 999, X Ray Spex & The Saints among others. Their WEA Press release which accompanied their album Slam is suitably hyperbolic in its praise but manages to sadly spell the band’s name wrong in the first sentence!

WEA Press Release Born in the slums of the Midlands and educated with street level certificates, the Surburband Studs are deeply involved with their music.

“We’re fed up with rock superstars”, said lead vocalist Eddie Zipps. Their music has got fuck all to do with living on the street today. We live in a slum… You’ve got to play music, that’s life, that creates a situation. Their debut album ‘Slam’ reflects the seamier side of life and focuses on Suburban Studs instinct for survival

Sounds  17.12.77
Record Mirror  1.2.78

Unfortunately, the music didn’t live up to the hype. Mediocre album reviews in the music weeklies didn’t help either. PR was reduced to occasional gossip including the singer being subject to random punk violence which was prevalent at the time and the shenanigans of their fans when two girls at their Thames Poly gig flashed their breasts on stage, daubed graffiti and set off fire extinguishers.

With no sales, the band who were astute enough to jump on the Punk bandwagon couldn’t progress further and just fell off it seemingly almost immediately after the album was released. According to Wikipedia it didn’t quite end.

According to Wikipedia it didn’t quite end.

The band continued for another 18 months under the name “the studs” with new frontman and vocalist Steve “Bertie” Burton ( “Starfighters” the E numbers, vincent flatts final drive) Eddie Zipps continued to write the songs and play guitar in the band.

Recently (2024) Captin Oi/Cherry Red reissued their first album plus 9 recorded tracks meant for their second album that never happened including Sniper, Hit & Run and Houdini Charms.

A couple of times Punk77 has come close to interviewing band members, but each time they pulled out and unlike every other band from the time have steadfastly maintained their silence which is a shame.

Questions/No Faith
(1977 Pogo Records June 1977)

It’s a peach and as good as any punk single released. Classic driving overdriven punk at a frenetic and heart attack inducing pace. Steve Harrington (sax) who was later in the Neon Hearts played on the first version of Questions/No Faith (July 1977) which was withdrawn.

The song is about singer Eddie Zipps time on the dole and features his social security number in the chorus. Sales of the single exceeded expectations and the band would go back into Ron Lee’s studios to begin recording an album.

Both tracks were re-recorded when Harrington left to start the Neon Hearts and re-released in November 1977, this time with No Faith as the A-side.

Left Birmingham Evening Mail 02.7.1977


I Hate School / Young Power
(Pogo Records February 1978)

This was their only other single and was pulled from their album, this time reusing the album cover in monochrome and came in a paper sleeve meaning finding a pristine cover is the holy grail for all those anal punk record collectors. This was the lead off single for the album

It’s an ok song. Let’s face it these boys had long left school. You have to wonder what WEA/Pogo were playing at releasing this. The same song is on the album below unless they were hoping to ride on the back of the album hopefully being successfull.


Live at the Hope and Anchor
(WEA February 1978)

They are also on the Live at the Hope and Anchor album (March 1978) again singing I Hate School in the company of The Stranglers, 999 and X Ray Spex. Ironic as one of them went on to become a teacher. 

For some reason a promo shot featured the guys in the bands with their mums. Featured here is Keith Owen and Steve Poole. Nice!


Slam
(Pogo Records March 1978)

Slam their album feels like Punk by numbers. All the ingredients are there but something is missing and that’s a spark. For once I think the reviews of the time got it right. Like the artwork on Slam below? They couldn’t get straight jackets from anywhere and in the end had to have them tailor made. Where Questions seemed like a rush of energy here the songs seemed forced as if they had to come up with songs quickly for the album.

The reviews weren’t exactly enthusiastic.

Sounds 11.3.78
Record Mirror
 11.3.78


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