The Lurkers

No history of UK punk rock would be complete without The Lurkers. This seminal West London punk band from Fulham charted, in an 18 month period, with 5 hit singles and one hit album.
With a set list choc full of catchy punky tunes the band were a favourite among the press and crowds. Those songs still sound as good today and put the band up there with the best in punk. Sadly they don’t get the credit they deserve. These pages aim to put this right.
Esso The name of our band is The Lurkers because that’s what we are…we’re all a bunch of temperamental so ands so’s. But we won’t conform to anybodies fashions. People like Joe Strummer and those other three posers he hangs out with; its all one big front and its all bullshit. Before the Lurkers I was playing jazz…this New Wave thing came along and I was crazy on it. We all were because we thought it was genuinely outcast by society. But its all just another fashion. All these groups are the same. Suddenly their hair is getting longer and they’re all saying different things…gradually. Sounds, 3.6.78
Lurkers Website | Facebook
There is a curious myopia when looking back at UK Punk rock which is foisted by journalists and even musicians from the time. The aim seems to be to write out or dismiss bands from punk rock history. Take the excellent England’s Dreaming by John Savage ex Sounds Journalist who accords The Lurkers one mention by name. Other books or programmes just completely leave them out.

The usual reaction when people mention the Lurkers is “punk’s poor relations”. This is wrong. The Lurkers are proof that all the safety pins and bondage trousers in the world mean nothing if you don’t have the tunes. The Lurkers had no pretensions, no hype, no frills and were nothing less than pure rock’n’roll. This is a band that deserve so much more respect than they get.
Arturo We didn’t make any effort to look ridiculously punky. We used to see bands who put safety pins through their ears and we thought these people had read too much of The Sun newspaper and thought this is what you were supposed to do to be a punk rocker. All that gobbing was just fucking moronic we thought. The Lurkers never ligged. We hated that showbiz shit. We just preferred our own boozers. We thought a lot of them (other punk bands) would sell their grannies just to get fame. Opportunists to become rock stars. We didn’t have a lot of time for the Kings Road bullshit. Punk 77 Interview, 1999
Not for them safety pins and spiky barnets. Their hair was unfashionably long a la Faces style and their clothes what anyone on the street would be wearing. Live shots either show them wearing leather jackets and jeans or Travolta style disco white jackets or suits and flares! Ironic as a Beggars Banquet promotional campaign was The Lurkers as anti Grease and Travolta.

The Lurkers were formed in the summer of 1976 by four mates who were regulars of the Coach & Horses pub in Ickenham, West London and were Pete Edwards (aka Plug on Vocals), Pete Haynes (aka Manic Esso on Drums) Nigel Moore (Bass) and Pete Stride (Guitar). The final piece of the jigsaw came at the end of 1976 when the group recruited a new vocalist Howard Wall with Plug stepping down to become the band’s roadie (and occasional harmonica player!)
Like many bands of the time their primary influences were The Ramones, New York Dolls and The Faces and their songs were a mix of their own compositions such as Shadow, Love Story, Total War and Freak Show and the odd cover version like Then I Kissed (Kicked Her) – their take on the Phil Spector song. The overall sound was very similar to the Ramones with Wall’s garbled vocals and Stride’s frenetic guitar work and so the Hammersmith Ramones tag.
Their first gig was supporting Screaming Lord Sutch at Uxbridge Technical College. In early 1977, prior to their first Roxy Club gig, Nigel Moore left the band to join Swank and French Lessons (who would also play at the Roxy Club) and was replaced by Arturo Bassick (aka Arthur Billingsley). Other gigs included the Vortex and even a handful dates on the Isle Of Arran with no alcohol!
Arturo I looked the part and they wanted me in even though I had never played the bass. I got the job within 2 minutes of auditioning for them. Since I’d been following the Stranglers since November 1976 I knew their management who ran the Red Cow, Nashville and Hope And Anchor and I used my connection with them to get loads of gigs for The Lurkers including The Stranglers, The Jam and whoever else was playing. Punk77, 2003

Hawking around a four track demo they got a management deal with Beggars Banquet, a record shop chain in whose basement the group rehearsed, and who then formed Beggars Banquet Records as an outlet for them. The manager of the shop was Mike Stone who became their manager and who would later run Clay Records and release Lurkers records.
As a consequence, Shadow/Love Story became the first single to be released on the label in the summer of 1977 and was followed by Freak Show/Mass Media Believer a few months later. The group also contributed an early version of Be My Prisoner to the Streets compilation album which they toured along with other bands on the album.

By the time of their next single, Ain’t Got A Clue, in early 1978, the group had seen Bassick leave to start his own band, Pinpoint. He was initially replaced by Kym Bradshaw (ex-Saints) but Bradshaw didn’t gel and by the spring of 1978, Nigel Moore had returned to complete the classic Lurkers line-up.
Backed by a strong promotional campaign, Ain’t Got A Clue actually made the national Top 50 as did its follow-up I Don’t Need To Tell Her. Appearances on Top Of The Pops, Revolver, multiple picture cover versions and John Peel sessions.
The group also released their debut album, Fulham Fallout, a superb collection of amphetamine punk in a lavish gatefold sleeve (picks Total War, I’m On Heat, Be My Prisoner) which made the lower end of the charts in the summer of 1978.
Revolver 1978
By the time the band released their next single, Just Thirteen in early 1979, they were playing to crowds of up to 1500, and what should have been a prestigious and celebratory show headlining at London’s Lyceum Ballroom turned sour after a series of fights broke out. They then headed over to the States to record that difficult second album.
To try and expand the audience beyond the confines of punk, the band flew to Muscle Shoals, USA in March to record their second album with producer Phillip Jarrell whose previous experience had been with ‘Motown’ acts. That in itself should have sent alarm bells ringing! Unfortunately, the liaison was fraught with personality clashes and not helped by the Lurkers, who did like a pint, discovering that Alabama was a dry state! Frequent 3 hour drives across the state line to replenish supplies were required to solve that particular problem.
Again a single, Out In The Dark, presaged the release of the album, God’s Lonely Men. Far less frenetic than its predecessor, the album leaned towards more traditional, hard rocking and highlighted Pete Stride’s maturing songwriting.

Following their ‘Killer’ UK tour the group were becoming disenchanted with the musical limitations of their live sound, so decided to add a second guitarist, harmony vocalist and drinking partner, ‘Honest’ John Plain who had been playing with The Boys. They recorded demos of some new songs and another single, New Guitar In Town, promoting the release with a return to the clubs, performing four shows at the Marquee.
They did the last of an unprecedented four John Peel sessions. Peel himself would comment in the 1996 Punk Fiction documentary.
Punks with A levels tended to be a bit dismissive of the Lurkers. I think they thought they were a sort of punk Status Quo, but I liked Status Quo and I also liked the Lurkers, along with other bands like The Models, the Cortinas, even eventually Sham 69.
October 1979
Freakshow
Total War
I’m On Heat
Then I Kissed Her
Be My Prisoner
April 1978
1. Ain’t Got A Clue
2. Pills
3. I Don’t Need To Tell Her
4. Jenny
August 1978
1. Here Comes The Bad Times
2. God’s Lonely Men
3. In Room 309
4. Countdown
January 1979
1. Whatever Happened To Mary?
2. Take Me Back To Babylon
3. Out In The Dark
4. See The World
They still found time to get the worst from punk rock. Howard Wall was beaten up on a bus by punk bashers in 1977 and was hospitalised with suspected meningitis in 1979 courtesy of some misplaced gobbing! Right up to the end though The Lurkers were a down-to-earth punk rock band and that’s why we loved them.
Friends have told me that they see you as the only genuine ‘people band’ left from the early days of the Roxy. Would you go along with that?
Howard. “Yeah I agree”…Pete. “The Lurkers haven’t changed from their first gigs. We’re more professional and experienced but we haven’t changed.” Sounds, 3.6.78
But at the end of the decade, the scene had completely changed from three years earlier. Punk had fragmented into the hardcore ‘Oi’ and more politicized factions, the spirit of ’76 was long dead and the band had become an anachronism. Without a positive future, and heavily in debt to the record company, The Lurkers lost direction and drifted apart. Various members have ever since reformed versions of the band to both tour and record.
Fast forward to April 2017 and the Roxy Club blue plaque unveiling. Esso is invited as The Lurkers played the club early on but he’s reluctant as he feels he will be out of place. He goes in a football shirt and is quizzed by Jordan about who he is and his band and she finished by commenting on his football shirt “That’s not very very punk!”
We strip away all the niceties that got into music in the last six years and made it boring
Arturo – Sounds 23.7.1977
The one thing you notice is what a fantastic set of singles the boys produced. It’s no wonder in eighteen months that they had 5 charting singles, 1 charting album, and an appearance on Top Of The Pops. Quite simply they knocked out catchy, tuneful and minimalist punky songs that got under your skin and so the Ramones comparisons.

However in these strengths also lay their downfall. Ok 5 hit singles, but the big one eluded them – nothing got higher than number 45 even with the might of WEA behind Beggars Banquet. Sadly they didn’t have the ability to break out of the punk mould or take it elsewhere. By the time The Lurkers had built up a head of steam in late 1979, it was time for the New Romantics, Gary Numan and hard-edged Oi music. When they finally got two guitarists to beef out the sound what did they do? Released New Guitar In Town / Little Ole Wine Drinker Me which sounded like the pub rock music of three years earlier. The Lurkers were out of step.
Shadow / Love Story (August 1977)
Raw and frenetic, a punk classic right from Pete Stride’s brilliantly simple opening one note picked guitar riff.
Arturo It was recorded in one and a half hours. The engineer couldn’t believe it. Rick Wakeman had just spent three weeks getting his keyboard sound just right! I thought it was a great touch adding the ding-dong bell on the album. Punk77, 1999

Shadow Live Red Cow, London, September 7th 1977 – Punk In London movie
Freak Show / Mass Media Believer (November 1977)
Ain’t Got A Clue / Ooh! Ooh! I Love You
January 1978
I Don’t Need To Tell Her / Pills (April 1978)

“I don’t need to tell Her/I’m a super fella.”
Pure magic from start to finish. Cachy pop punk.The B-side is a cover version of the Bo Diddley and New York Dolls track and kinda pub stylee.



Just Thirteen / Countdown (January 1979)
Out In The Dark / Cyanide/ Suzie Is A Floozie / Cyanide (April 1979)
New Guitar In Town / Little Ole Wine Drinker Me (October 1979)
The final Lurkers Mark 2 single and the only one to feature “Honest” John Plain. Slower and in a pub band sing a long a Lurkers style. From here the band would be dropped by Beggars Banquet, split up and continue right up to the present day in various forms.
Reached No 72 in the charts

The Lurkers Fulham Fallout (June 1978)

Contrary to popular myth, only Arturo their bassist came from Fulham – the reason their debut LP was called Fulham Fallout was because they had a massive fan base there. Like Never Mind The Bollocks, the album collected the early singles (though reworked) and added the rest of the set list.

The Lurkers always were the true English Punk band. After the imagery and manufacture of Malcolm McClaren and Bernie Rhodes’ little outfits along came the Lurkers who actually were four mates from the West London Suburbs who formed a band.
Pete Stride’s love angst adrenaline ballads rule supreme with Shadow, I Don’t Need To Tell Her and Jenny. Punk “call to war” anthems Total War and Self Destruct have that hard innocent edge that was 1977. Anyone who went down the Roxy, Red Cow, Hope and Anchor and even the original Marquee will instantly understand I’m on Heat.
Stride’s Woolworth Chain Guitar rattles through all tracks accompanied by Esso’s thudering bass drum and unfettered cymbols. Howard’s vocals are deadpan but make us all feel that it could have been me in front of that microphone, and whether its Nigel, Arturo or Kim on bass the sound is solid.
If there are any kids still out there who want to form a traditional rock/pop group make sure this album is on your influence list! The Mighty Zoot Macho, Amazon 5/11/2002 – *****


The Lurkers – God’s Lonely Men (June 1979)

Contrary to popular myth, only Arturo their bassist came from Fulham – the reason their debut LP was called Fulham Fallout was because they had a massive fan base there. Like Never Mind The Bollocks, the album collected the early singles (though reworked) and added the rest of the set list. God’s Lonely Men is a different kettle of fish. Money was spent making it and money was spent promoting it but to my ears, it just doesn’t gel as an album though it has undoubted high spots. In a way, I’m glad they stopped there as the direction offered by New Guitar In Town to my ears seemed a dead end.
A good progression from Fulham Fallout. Features Out In The Dark and Cyanide plus a mixture of the fast (She Knows, God’s Lonely Men, Room 309, Take Me Back To Babylon, Bad Times) and the slow (Non-Contender). Worth buying.

The Lurkers were a popular band and a favourite in Fanzines. They also got their fair share of features and interviews in the weekly rock press such as Sounds and New Musical Express. A selection of Lurkers cuttings are below. Click on the images to get a larger readable one.
Left from Strangled Summer Special 1977. Top Right from Live Wire and below from Sounds 23.7.77.
Zigzag #84 June 1978
New Musical Express 17.6.78
Below is the classic Lurkers line up (picture covers) that recorded the bulk of their vinyl…character sketches courtesy of Paul Morley’s dire smart arse feature in the NME, 28.10.1978.



Pete Stride – Guitar
Used to be a packer. Bony and angular, his face thin and sallow, he possesses a fair 1973 Faces barnet. And the Faces turn out to be his favourite group of all time.
Howard Wall – Vocals
Lead singer, ex-culinary artist, who is confident and wry, slim yet strongly built with cheery, cheeky features. If the light catches him badly he resembles Paul McCartney.
Nigel Moore – Bass
Used to be a TV engineer. Small impish and concerned. Originally bassist then left. Got the job again because he had a car to transport the gear and was the only one who could drive!



Manic Esso – Drums
AKA Peter Haynes. Used to be a garage hand. He’s blunt well built, muscley verging on flabby with close cropped fluffy red hair. Outspoken.
Arturo Bassick – Bass
AKA Peter Arthur Billinglsey. Larger than life character. Contributed Mass Media Believer to the set then left to form Pinpoint who sounded nothing like The Lurkers.
Plug – Vocals & Harmonica & roadie
AKA Pete Edwards contributed harmonica on tracks like Suzie is A Floozie. “We only started it for a laugh. Pete asked me…and we had a couple of rehearsals but I just wasn’t good enough. Howard said he’d have a go and that’s how the Lurkers began. Now I’m just a roadie but I enjoy being on the road with them. Zigzag 93 April 1979
After Arturo left they recruited Kym Bradshaw ex of The Saints…


Kym Bradshaw on The Lurkers (Punk ’77 Interview 2003)
1) It was something to do
2) They had a couple of good songs
3) They were totally shambolic and their songwriting was mostly limited. Pete Stride wasn’t good enough to tie Eds’ shoelaces (Ed Kuepper -Saints guitarist)
4) I was sacked officially because I was “too professional.” Basically I don’t think Pete liked the fact that I was starting to write better songs than him
Pete Stride At first we were really chuffed when Kym joined you know big name bass player joins our little band. But offstage he just turned out to be really straight…Kym was like a married man. 17.6.78, NME

And not forgetting the Fulham Boys (below); the hardcore Lurkers fans from Kingston, Southall and Fulham.

“Most of them just like us and no other band.” says Nigel. NME, 17.6 78
Howard Wall I prefer playing in London without a doubt. Tonight like in Bradford if the Fulham kids hadn’t arrived, it might have been a good gig…but it really affects us when we don’t have people leaping around. Sounds, 3.6.78
TalkPunk
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