The Zips + Fast Cars + Social Security

THE ZIPS Pacing the floor at Punk?s birth in the 70s, splitting up as it was overtaken by Ska and New Romantics in the 80s, and re-forming due to European bootleg interest in their back catalogue in 2002, which resulted in 2 of their songs being included in a compilation album, Bored Teenagers Vol 2, The Zips are determined to make up for lost time. With 5 new CD EPs on their own Tenement Toons label, a download single for Oxfam?s Make Poverty History campaign, The Zips finally released their debut album, Guitars4Hire, Sept 2006 ? 27 years after their debut single, The Zips EP, which was a fave of the late John Peel. 2009 Sing Sing Records (Brooklyn) released a 500 copy reissue of the 7?, as did Mad Butcher Records (Germany) in 2022, the same month that an original copy sold for ?577 on eBay! In 2011, The Zips unleashed their 2nd album, 19 Forevva, and on the 10th anniversary, of Joe?s Strummer?s death, the band released a download-only single, Road To Strummerville, with profits to his charity, Strummerville. A split vinyl album with Berlin-based tour buddies, Erotic Devices, was issued by Clash-City-Records in 2014, ahead of a 3rd tour of Germany. 2015 saw the self-titled, Stepfathers of Punk release an advance copy of their 3rd album, Down With The Zips, to coincide with a further mini-tour of Germany. 2016, the band released a split CD EP with Fire Exit, and played some promo dates together in Belfast & Dublin in November, having played a string of UK dates, that year, including the Nice N Sleazy Festival, and a fifth tour of Germany in May. Meanwhile, the Down With The Zips album was released on download & CD, by CDBaby.com in April, and Jonzip with a pick-up band, The Zips (USA), played a few under-the-radar shows on the East Coast. 2017 The Zips played Rebellion Festival and other dates around the UK, whilst recording tracks for a 4th album, including 7 songs recorded in a studio that was once an office in a former STASI admin block in East Berlin. The recording sessions were squeezed in during a German tour in April, the Joe Strummer Tribute gig in Berlin on 3 June, and Jonzip?s second trip to the States, to play with The Zips (USA). Prior to that, Tarbeach Records (NYC) released a 7? single with The Zips? Barbara Wire, on one side, and a Jonzip acoustic version of 19 Forevva, on the flip side on 31 March. 2018 was the 40th anniversary of The Zips formation, and a track from The Zips EP, Take Me Down featured in Gary Crowley?s Punk and New Wave compilation album https://www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk/rsd18/ Gig-wise, it was a busy year with the MAYhem Tour 2018, with dates in early May in Germany & Czech Republic, and a second, whistle stop tour of Switzerland, Germany and Austria, later that month, with Erotic Devices. October also saw The Zips in Ireland, and Portugal for three dates, after Jonzip?s solo tour there, the previous year. 2019 saw lots of festival action, with Strummercamp, Rebellion and Morecambe Punk Festival, as well as a headline slot at the Joe Strummer Tribute in Dusseldorf. A limited edition 7? single, on new German label YeaVolution Records, was released in August at Rebellion Festival, and the long-awaited 4th album, HUH!? followed in October, combining the songs from the Berlin sessions of 2017, with another 3 recorded in Standing Stone Studio, Barrhead, outside Glasgow. Before that however, one of The Zips EP tracks, Take Me Down, was released on Cherry Red Records, 5 CD compilation, Big Gold Dreams https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/big-gold-dreams-a-story-of-scottish-independent-music-1977-1989-5cd-boxset 2020?s Lockdown resulted in no live performances, but was spent working on a limited-edition CD of live recordings from ?79 and ?80 on Tenement Toons, along with a booklet containing The Zips story, press and fanzine reviews, photos and posters. 2021 continued to restrict live events, and resulted in several cancellations, but The Zips appeared at Strummercamp Festival in Oldham, and Punk & Disorderly in Lancaster, in August,Clash Fans Against The Right launch, in London, in October. 2022 supported Buzzcocks in March, The Godfathers in April, and a bunch of local gigs followed. 2023 The Zips played Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, and Unity Fest in Corby, prior to supporting Sham69 in Paisley, Krakatoa in Aberdeen and Punktoberfest in Dundee, along with local Glasgow gigs. A split album called, News From Another Side, with Colera (Brazil) & Razor Kids (Portugal) was released by Lisbon label, Different Class Records, in time for Rebellion Festival. Meanwhile, one of the songs on that album, Spirit Of 78, was included in the documentary film, Resistance Street, produced by Clash Fans Against The Right. 2024 dates included, Party in the Poly Tunnel in St Andrews in February, Edinburgh (Stramash) in April and September with Shock And Awe, Glasgow (McChuills) in November, and in December, the band returned to Germany for the first time in 5 years, for a 4 date tour, taking in Berlin (Wild At Heart with Erotic Devices), Dresden (Ostpol with Mantarochen), Halle (VL with Berlin Blackouts / Not The Ones), and Potsdam (Nowawes with DJs, The Cool Boys). The tour called, Archive Fever Tour, was arranged to promote the release of a retrospective album called, Archive Fever (Now ? 2002 / 1980 ? 1978) on German label, Mad Butcher Records in December. The vinyl album has an accompanying 12 page booklet with The Zips story of each of the 5 line-ups, and includes photos/posters/etc. Production delays resulted in full UK release on 7th Feb 2025. No strangers to local and internet radio, the band also have a reputation for rip-roaring performances, supporting bands like, Buzzcocks, Dr Feelgood, The Rezillos, UK Subs, 999, The Godfathers, Sham 69, Chelsea, Subway Sect, and TV Smith. This means they are always in demand on the live circuit, both in the UK, and throughout Europe. FAST CARS Fast Cars were formed in 1978 by brothers Steven and Stuart Murray in Swinton, Manchester. They quickly became part of the Manchester scene playing within the Manchester Musicians Collective at Band on the Wall, also playing at legendary venues such as The Factory, Rafters, Manchester Polytechnic, and The Apollo theatre. The also played the Marquee club in London in 1980. Bands they played with along the way included; The Jam, Buzzcocks, The Fall, The Rezillos, XTC, The Chords, Joy Division etc al. They released 2 songs on the collective album A Manchester Collection and also a single, the kids just wanna dance on Streets Ahead Records. After failing to gain a major deal with Polydor they split at the end of 1980 at the grand old age of 20! Following interest on the internet in 2000 Fast Cars discovered that their single had become popular around the world, in particular Japan, they reformed in 2001 and were immediately asked to play in Tokyo and were offered a recording deal by Detour Records. They followed that with a 4 City tour of Japan in 2008 including 2 sell out nights in Tokyo (one of which was recorded and will shortly be released as a live album). They have since released 3 albums for Detour, several singles in Japan, Italy, Germany, been included in many compilation albums and continued playing live. The current lineup is still Stuart and Steve with Rick Hilton on drums (his Dad being the lead guitarist for over 40 years until he passed in 2021). As a 3 piece they still continue with the high energy stage act that is their trade mark and look forward to entertaining for many more years. SOCIAL SECURITY After seeing The Damned perform in late 76, Social Security left their jobs and signed on. They recruited 'Spy' a Damned roadie so named because the Damned were convinced he was a spy for the Pistols. With 'Spy' on board as their new singer, The Socials became major players in the Bristol and West Country's burgeoning punk scene. Signed by Heartbeat Records They went on to record their first single on Bristol's newly formed Heartbeat record label. The single, a four track E.P. Was critically acclaimed by the legendary John Peel. Over the years the single has been re-released appearing on many highly regarded Punk anthology albums. After a lot of arm twisting by their former management and due to public pressure Social Security relented and have now reformed playing extensively and showcasing their unique wit and song writing abilities. Social Security are true originals, Don't miss them!!