The Suburban Studs were an English punk rock band, formed in Birmingham in 1976, consisting of Eddy Zipps (vocals, guitar), Keith Owen (guitar), Paul Morton (bass) and Steve Pool (drums). The band were signed to Pogo Records, an independent record label who had a distribution deal with WEA. Their only album, Slam, was released in 1977. It has recently been re-released by Anagram Records with extra tracks. They had two singles, "Questions" / "No Faith", released in 1977 and "I Hate School" / "Young Power", in 1978. None of their releases were hits. They also appeared on the Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival double compilation (March 1978). More recently they can be found on the Holidays in the Sun CD and DVD from the Blackpool 3 day punk festival in 1996.
Suburban Studs' fame results from their huge gigging schedule. They played the 100 Club gig in 1976 supporting the Sex Pistols and The Clash, and headlined above The Clash in Birmingham in the same year. The band also toured with AC/DC and Judas Priest, played a Peel Session and appeared on an ATV punk special. Their erstwhile saxophonist Steve Heart later went on to form the Neon Hearts, who were to become popular around the Midlands. The band continued for another 18 months under the name "the studs" with new frontman and vocalist Steve "Bertie" Burton and Eddie Zipps continued to write the songs and play guitar in the band.
The band reformed for a short while in 1996, with Eddie on vocals and Keith Owen on guitar, they were joined by bass guitarist Roger Wilson (little Sister, Even Bigger) and drummer Dave Fell. They performed at the Holidays in the Sun gig at Blackpool in 1996 and are featured on the CD and DVD of the three-day festival, they split up soon after this gig.
Links to Peel[]
The band's music was played by Peel in the late 70's and early 80's, including a session they did in 1977. Their track, Questions, was nominated by Peel as one of his favourite tracks of 1977 and the song entered the 1977 Festive Fifty.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1977 Festive Fifty: Questions #43
Sessions[]
Suburban Studs - Peel Session 1977
1. Recorded: 1977-11-22. First Broadcast: 02 December 1977. Repeated: 19 December 1977
- Suburban Stud / I Hate School / Necro / No Faith
Other Shows Played[]
- 1977
- 19 August 1977: Questions (7") Pogo POG 001
- 20 October 1977: No Faith (7") Pogo POG 001
- 02 November 1977: No Faith (7") Pogo POG 001
- 09 November 1977: Questions (album - Slam) Pogo POW 001 John says he played this a number of times as a single
- 23 December 1977: Questions (single) Pogo FF #43
- 1978
- 16 February 1978: I Hate School (7") Pogo POG 002
- 22 February 1978: I Hate School (7") Pogo POG 002
- 28 February 1978: I Hate School (v/a album - Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival) Warner Bros.
- 01 March 1978: Suburban Studs (LP - Slam) Pogo
- 01 March 1978: Rumble (LP - Slam) Pogo
- 01 March 1978: Resistor (LP - Slam) Pogo
- 1980
- 07 June 1980 (BFBS): I Hate School