The Members was 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), with Steve Maycock or Clive Parker (drums). Morley and Parker were later replaced by Chris Payne and Adrian Lillywhite. In 1976, the band performed for its first engagements at The Red Cow (London W6), The Windsor Castle (London W9) and The Nashville Rooms (London W14). In that year composer Jean Marie Carroll (aka JC Carroll) joined the band to compliment Tesco's lyrics. The Members had recorded a number of songs, but the first released recording was Fear on the Streets, produced by Lillywhite's brother Steve Lillywhite. This song was included on the first record released by the Beggars Banquet label, the punk compilation, Streets (1977). The song-writing collaboration between Tesco and Carroll moved The Members ‘sound’ towards an incorporation of reggae, shown in the first single released for Stiff Records, Solitary Confinement, produced by Larry Wallis. Following these releases, band personnel became Tesco (vocals), Carroll (vocals and guitar), Nigel Bennett (guitar), Payne (bass) and Lillywhite (drums). In 1978/79 The Members continued to play the London pub and club circuit, and became a feature in the music press. It signed to Virgin Records in 1978, for which it recorded The Sound of the Suburbs, again produced by Steve Lillywhite. This became The Members' biggest chart success and its best known song in the UK. The follow up single, Offshore Banking Business, a reggae tune written by Carroll, did not achieve the same popularity. A version of Offshore Banking Business was recorded for the early 80s film "Urgh! A Music War”, produced by Michael White, distributed by Filmways and Lorimar Productions. The Members' first album, At the Chelsea Nightclub, was followed by a second for Virgin, 1980 – The Choice Is Yours. Its last album was Going West, issued a year earlier as Uprhythm, Downbeat (1982) in the US. The band broke up in 1983, when Tesco left the band after the last tour of the US. In 1989, Tesco appeared in Leningrad Cowboys Go America, written and directed by Aki Kaurismaki, a film about a fictional Russian rock band touring the US.[4] 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 has been a commentator on new releases for 6Music's Roundtable. In 2007, The Members were reunited at The Inn on the Green, Ladbroke Grove, London, MC'd by Phill Jupitus under his 1980s performance poet stage name of “Porky The Poet”. In 2009, a new single International Financial Crisis (a re-write of Offshore Banking Business) was released, recorded by Tesco, Carroll, Payne and Bennett, with artwork by the original Members’ album sleeve designer, Malcolm Garrett. The same year, Carroll and Payne toured as The Members, with occasional appearances of Tesco and Bennett. A Members' line-up of Carroll, Payne and Nick Cash (drums) have performed during 2010, playing in Spain and Italy, and at the Isle of Wight and Glastonbury Festivals. http://www.themembers.co.uk/ Discography Singles * "Solitary Confinement"/"Rat up a Drainpipe" (1978) Stiff * "The Sound of the Suburbs" (1979) UK #12 * "Offshore Banking Business" (1979) UK #31 * "Killing Time" (1979) * "Romance" (1980) * "Flying Again" (1980) * "Working Girl" (1981) * "Radio" (1982)[2] * "International Financial Crisis" (2009) Albums * At the Chelsea Nightclub (1979) UK #45 * 1980 – The Choice Is Yours (1980) * Uprhythm, Downbeat (1982) * Going West (1983)[2] * The Members: Sound of the Suburbs Virgin Records (1995) * Live in Berlin (2010) Compilations * Streets - Beggars Banquet 1977 (Track: "Fear on the Streets") * The Moonlight Tapes - Danceville Records 1977 (Track: “Rat up a Drainpipe”) * The Sound of the Suburbs - Columbia Records MOOD18 (1991) (Track: "The Sounds of the Suburbs") The Members: Live At The Chelsea Nightclub (1995) DOWNLOAD LINK Login or register to view download link (it's free!) External download. Please report any broken link by posting a reply to this thread. Track listing 1. "Electricity" (Jean-Marie Carroll) 2. "Sally" (Gary Baker) 3. "Soho-A-Go-Go" (Chris Payne, Nicky Tesco) 4. "Don't Push" (Adrian Lillywhite, Nicky Tesco, Steve Morley) 5. "Solitary Confinement" (Jean-Marie Carroll, Nicky Tesco) 6. "Frustrated, Bagshot" (Jean-Marie Carroll, Nicky Tesco) 7. "Stand Up and Spit" (Jean-Marie Carroll, Nicky Tesco) 8. "The Sound of the Suburbs" (Jean-Marie Carroll, Nicky Tesco) 9. "Phone-in Show" (Jean-Marie Carroll, Nicky Tesco) 10. "Love in a Lift" (Chris Payne, Nicky Tesco) 11. "Chelsea Nightclub" (Jean-Marie Carroll) 12. "Fear on the Streets" (2005 CD Bonus Track) 13. "Solitary Confinement" (Stiff single version) (2005 CD Bonus Track) 14. "Rat up a Drainpipe" (Stiff single version) (2005 CD Bonus Track) 15. "The Sound of the Suburbs" (single version) (2005 CD Bondingus Track) 16. "Handling the Big Jets" (2005 CD Bonus Track) 17. "Offshore Banking Business" (7" single version) 18. "Solitary Confinement" (Virgin single version) (2005 CD Bonus Track) 19. "Offshore Banking Business/Pennies in the Pound" (12" version) (2005 CD Bonus Track)
