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Biography
BLP sources|date=June 2011Infobox musical artist| name = Spizzenergi| image = Athletico Spizz '80.jpg| alt =| caption = The line up of the group Spizzenergi who became Athletico Spizz '80 in 1980. Left to right Clive Parker (drums), Mark Coalfield (keyboards), Spizz (vocals), James Little (bass), Dave Scott (guitar)| image_size = 220px| background =group_or_band| alias =Athletico Spizz 80 The Spizzles Spizzenergi 2| origin = England | genre = Punk rock|Punk , New Wave music|New Wave | years_active =start date|1979–end date|1982, start date|1987–end date|1988| label = Rough Trade Records ; A& M Records ; Hobo Railway; Plastic Head| associated_acts =Spizz 77; Spizz Oil; Spizz and the Astronauties| website = http://www.spizzenergi.com www.spizzenergi.com| current_members =| past_members =Spizz Pete Petrol Mark Coalfield Jim Solar Clive Parker Brian B. Benzine (real name Bryn Burrows) Dave Scott Lu Edmonds Mark Ferda CS Gas Spizzenergi was a late 1970s England|English punk rock|punk / New Wave music|New Wave band (music)|band led by singer|vocalist / guitarist Spizz (real name Kenneth Spiers). The band changed its name several times during its existence, alternate names including Athletico Spizz 80 , Spizzoil and The Spizzles . They are notable as the first band to top the newly created UK Indie Chart early in 1980.cite book |title= Up Yours& #33; A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk |last= Joynson|first= Vernon|year= 2001|publisher= Borderline Publications|location= Wolverhampton|isbn= 1-899855-13-0|page= 362; However, they were perhaps best known for their single " Where's Captain Kirk? " More than two decades after its release, it was included in Mojo (magazine)|Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time.Mojo (October 2001) - 100 Punk Scorchers , Issue 95, London;
Spizz's early years / Spizzoil
Spizz attended Arden School , Knowle , near Solihull , a comprehensive school in the West Midlands conurbation|West Midlands , and was inspired by the burgeoning punk rock movement. After a Siouxsie and the Banshees gig at Birmingham Odeon Cinema he jumped on stage and sang into the microphones on the back of which was given a recording deal. He was already performing (solo) by 1977. Spizz soon got together with like-minded guitarist Pete Petrol (real name Pete O'Dowd). The duo actually released a few lo-fi singles during the height of the punk's popularity. In 1978 Palmolive (musician)|Palmolive , drummer with The Slits , joined what was called Spizzoil ( North Sea oil then being a hot topic), for a few gigs.
The band toured in support of groups such as Siouxsie and the Banshees and later as the main act all over Europe.
Spizzenergi / Athletico Spizz 80 / The Spizzles
Line-up: August - November 1979.
Spizz - vocals and guitar
Mark Coalfield - Keyboard instrument|keyboard and vocals
Dave Scott - guitar
Jim Solar - bass guitar (real name James Little)
Hero Shima - drum s
November 1979 - 1981
C.P. Snare (real name Clive Parker -Sharp) - Drums
For the first time, Spizz had a dedicated backing band, with a distinctively new wave sound. As Spizzenergi they became the first chart-topper|number one band in the newly formed UK Indie Chart in January 1980. The BBC Radio 1 Disc jockey|DJ John Peel described "Where's Captain Kirk? " as... "the best Star Trek associated song". Spizz did the artwork for the single cover himself using his own felt pens. This was undeniably the peak of Spizz's music career.
This line-up continued as Athletico Spizz 80 , gaining a considerable following. They became the only band to sell out the Marquee Club for five consecutive nights (with a sixth alcohol-free, matinee show). The tune was featured in the 1981s archival Urgh& #33; A Music War film. This material was shown occasionally on late-night American cable TV, and may have helped prolong Spizz's notoriety slightly. They released an album entitled Do a Runner on A& M Records , to mixed reviews.
When Lu Edmonds joined the line-up in 1981, they again changed their name—to The Spizzles . The group released a record called Spikey Dream Flowers , which cemented the group's sonic image as science-fiction weirdoes. Two final 1982 singles, this time as Spizzenergi 2 , "Megacity 3" and "Jungle Fever", were the swan-song of Spizz in the 1980s. By 1982 new wave was over, and post-punk bands like The Smiths and Gang of Four (band)|Gang of Four were taking over the indie music scene.
Spizz was noted for an annual name change policy which ceased when the Guinness Book of Records failed to recognise Spizz's claim that he has recorded and released the greatest number of recordings under different names. "Too Specialised" was the response of the then deputy editor, Shelagh Thomas, who nevertheless confessed to owning "Where's Captain Kirk? ". American stadium rockers R.E.M. (band)|R.E.M. (who started their band in the early 1980s) have recorded a cover version|version of "Where's Captain Kirk? ", which they gave to the fan (person)|fan club members in Christmas 1992.
Later years
After the demise of Spizzenergi 2, Spizz did a few solo projects (as SpizzOrwell and performing The Last Future Show ) and played guitar for Heaven 17 . In 1985 he toured with backing tapes and female backing singers as Spizz and the Astronauties.Dessau, Bruce (1985) "Spizzazz!: Spizz and the Astronauties, London Marquee", NME , 2 February 1985, p. 38 After a dance mix of ''Where's Captain Kirk? in 1987, he had no significant chart success. The birth of a daughter in 1991 consumed the bulk of energy as he stayed home to care for her.
Spizz still appears live, thanks to the encouragement of Paul Hallam, and releases material through Cherry Red Records http://www.cherryred.co.uk. The most recent release however has emerged on his own label 442ok http://www.442ok.com. It was called "We're The England" and is their third England World Cup Song attempt (previously "E for England" for France 1998, and "On The Road To Yokohama" for 2002). Other Spizz football related songs are "The Sun Never Sets on Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa " which is on the club's official compact disc, "Three Lions in The Sky" which was aimed at television producer, and his own label 'company song', "442ok".
Added to this is the maxi single released in May 2006; the earliest known recording of "Where's Captain Kirk? " (from Spizz's own archives).
Since 2007 performing as Spizzenergi, the band have appeared in the EU for the first time in 20 years. Most notably at mini festivals in Milan, Bologna Italy and Leuven in Belgium. In 2009 saw them support The New York Dolls at the 100 Club in May following on with a sell out show as headliners in September at the same venue.
Spizzenergi currently perform one-off shows throughout England.
Discography
Albums
Do a Runner (as Athletico Spizz 80 ) (July 1980: A& M) # 27 UK Albums Chart cite book
| first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | pages= | isbn= 1-904994-10-5
Spikey Dream Flower (as The Spizzles ) (April 1981: A& M)
Compilation albums / E.P.s
Spizz: Spizz History (November 1983: Rough Trade)
Spizz Oil: The Peel Sessions (February 1987: Strange Fruit)
Unhinged (March 1994: Damaged Goods)
Spizz Not Dead Shock: A Decade of Spizz History 1978 - 88 (May 1996: Cherry red)
List of all John Peel radio recordings / sessions http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/s/spizzoil/ Spizoil Peel session http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/s/spizzenergi/ Spizzenergi Peel sessions http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/a/athleticospizz80/ Athletico Spizz 80 Peel session
1 August 1978 (Spizzoil)
12 March 1979 (Spizzenergi)
13 November 1979 (Spizzenergi)
30 April 1980 (Athletico Spizz 80)
See also
List of New Wave bands and artists
List of British punk bands
List of Peel sessions
Music of the United Kingdom (1970s)
References
reflist
External links
http://www.spizzenergi.com/ Official site
discogs artist
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p52863|label=Spizz
http://www.spizzenergi.com/spizz/index.html Unofficial Spizzenergi site
http://www.punkoiuk.co.uk/INTERVIEWS/spizz.htm Background info and interview
DEFAULTSORT:Spizzenergi Category:English punk rock groups Category:Musical groups established in 1979 Category:Music in Birmingham, West Midlands Category:British New Wave musical groups Category:British post-punk music groups
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