The Members were a British punk band formed by lyricist Nicky Tesco (Nick Lightowlers) in 1976, through an invited audition at a recording studio at Tooley Street, London. The original personnel, with Tesco (vocals), was Gary Baker (guitar), and Steve Morley (bass guitar), initially with Steve Maycock then Clive Parker (drums). Morley and Parker were later replaced by Chris Payne and Adrian Lillywhite.
The band broke up in 1983, when Tesco left the band after the last tour of the US. Lillywhite went on to join the band King in the mid-1980s in time for their second album. Lloyd soon joined the Australian band Icehouse, remaining with them for their international smash hits "Electric Blue" and "Crazy." In 1989, Tesco appeared in Leningrad Cowboys Go America, written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki, a film about a fictional Russian rock band touring the US. This fictional band then toured as an actual band, and recorded the Tesco song "Thru the Wire". Kaurismäki directed a video for "Thru the Wire", featuring Tesco. As well as working as a music journalist for the magazine Music Week, Tesco had been a commentator on new releases for BBC Radio 6 Music's "Roundtable".
In February 2022, Nicky Tesco died at the age of 66.
A firm favourite of Peel in the late 70's, the band did three sessions for his programmes. In the 90's, Samurai Seven did a cover of the Members song, The Sound Of The Suburbs, which was featured as the theme tune to the late 90's TV series, Sounds Of The Suburbs, which showcased local bands from various regions of Britain and was presented by Peel himself.
In his Sounds column in the issue dated February 10 1979, Peel tells of how, notwithstanding Peel Acres being flooded due to the high level of the River Rat and thus having to move all their furniture upstairs, he and The Pig left two chairs and the television downstairs, ".. so that we could watch the Members on 'Top of the Pops'. This we eventually did with several inches of noxious water lapping round our ankles...".[1]
Sessions[]
The Members - Peel Session 1979-0
Three sessions, all available on The Virgin Years - Disc 3 'At the BBC', CD boxset, 2017 (Caroline CAROLR060CD)
