LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts) UK punk legend Nick Tesco, frontman of The Members whose anthem 'Sound Of The Suburbs' reached number 12 in the UK in 1979, has died.
Tesco fronted The Members through three albums which established them as one of the key groups in the second wave of the punk movement.
BMG controls the publishing of The Members including 'The Sound Of The Suburbs'.
Recalling the genesis of punk in the late seventies, Tesco said in an interview with Punk77 website, "One of the problems with music at that time is that the majority of people who were playing were all a bunch of musos so there was this misconception that forming a band required deep musical ability. Most of the songs said nothing to us, lyrically or musically. Long rambling jams and noodles on guitar. So suddenly there were loads of us all with something to say about the way our lives were going. Cutting our hair and wearing straight trousers - that alone was enough to get you beaten up in suburbia."
It was his background in suburban Camberley, just outside London which inspired the Members' biggest hit.
"I love the song but the funny thing is we were accused of "selling out" because we'd had a hit whereas the
Clash signed to this huge monolithic major label and they're deemed to be revolutionaries. I'm proud of the song and there's a lot of people out there who see it as one of the defining moments of punk."
BMG SVP Publishing UK Hugo Turquet said, "It's very sad to hear the news. BMG was very proud to be the custodians of The Members' catalogue with their knack for hit melodies and wit in their lyrics. 'The
Sounds of Suburbs' was for me always the soundtrack to long hot city summers and always will be. Not just a great punk song but simply a great song."
Following the demise of The Members, Tesco moved into acting working with Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki on four cult movies,
Leningrad Cowboys Go America,
Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses, I Hired A Contract Killer, and Iron Horsemen.
Later he switched to writing about music and worked for a period for the UK trade magazine
Music Week.
Former
Music Week editor now BMG EVP Global Corporate Communications Steve Redmond said, "Having bought 'Sound Of The Suburbs' on clear vinyl when it first came out, it was a little daunting at first to welcome Nick into our ranks, but he was a pleasure to work with, incredibly knowledgeable and passionate and always engaging."
