The Zeros + The Stereotypes + Torpedoes + David Philp (The Automatics)

Event information

4 of the original punk bands from the late 70s/early 80s come together for one night only!

THE ZEROS

Formed in 1977 out of boredom, frustration and the lack of exciting music.... When Punk first hit it made a BIG impact on so many disenchanted youths of that blank generation that many took up the calling and started forming bands throughout the UK. One such teenager was Steve Godfrey whose outlook in Walthamstow was just so typical of that time.

The only thing that teenagers in that area looked forward to was milling around the local record shop SMALL WONDER records which was situated at 162 Hoe Street. They quickly acknowledged the new music scene and started stocking all the latest Punk sounds that were being released on small DIY labels. With this in mind, the owner Pete Stennett decided to start up his own label as so many new bands sprung up…

One such band was THE ZEROS who was the second release on this newly formed label… The tracks "Hungry" backed with “Radio Fun” hit the streets in November 1977 and made a BIG impression and hit No 1 in the NME punk chart that month and more excitement followed when the legendary John Peel invited them into Radio 1 to do a Peel session.

In the next year or so they played all the regular Punk haunts / dives including the legendary "Roxy Club", Vortex, Hope and Anchor etc.

In 1978, the band signed to “The Label” and did a split release with a track called “What’s Wrong With A Pop Group”. The single was release in early 1979 and the label mis-spelt the name of the track to …“What’s Wrong With Pop Group”.

The band only found out about this new single after reading it in a music paper. Sadly the band split a few months later.

And now, nearly 50 years later, the band are back, possibly for one-night only. Don't miss out

THE STEREOTYPES

The Stereotypes are a punk rock band from Ilford, Essex that was formed in 1977. They released the 1979 Countdown EP and essentially disappeared into the abyss. Fast forward 40 years, the band is informed that their EP is the rarest and most expensive punk EP in the world. With only 100 copies made and only four known copies still in circulation. So why not reunite the band and spark the old flame and finally release a debut album? The Stereotypes did just that, after a 42-year wait, they reunited and released their debut album, which is available now via streaming and physical copies.

TORPEDOES

Torpedoes are a post-punk/punk/goth-tinged relic. A beautiful, irreverent relic! A four-piece band, playing original compositions that are well-crafted, considered and questioning. At a time of short attention spans, throwaway music and five-minute wonders, doing what they do and playing what they play makes them a relic. But Torpedoes don’t care and neither should you.

They’ll do what they do best, have a laugh and keep playing their music - that’s what makes them compelling.

If your musical tastes lie somewhere around Killing Joke, The Damned, The Cure, Muse, Cardiacs, Joy Division etc then you should probably listen to Torpedoes. If you have a short attention span, like throwaway music and five-minute wonders you can either jog on and have a lovely day or take a moment to expand your horizons a little bit!

DAVID PHILP (THE AUTOMATICS)

David Philp is lead singer and songwriter of The Automatics, an English Punk/Powerpop band that headlined London’s Marquee Club, where the Sex Pistols and The Damned often performed in the late 1970s. Their 1978 hit “When the Tanks Roll (Over Poland Again)”, released on Island Records was one of the first records to be produced by Steve Lillywhite, who went on to produce U2, XTC, the Pogues and many others.

The original line-up of The Automatics featured Philp on vocals and guitar, along with Wally Hacon (guitar), Bobby Collins (bass) and Ricky “Rocket” Goldstein (drums.)

Thanks to the praises of influential DJ John Peel, “Tanks” reached number one in the embryonic and important, Punk/New Wave charts and remains a favourite of punk rock devotees to this day. It is listed at number 22 in the top 50 punk songs from that era by Punks Reunited.