Spizzenergi are an English punk/ new wave band led by vocalist/guitarist Spizz (real name Kenneth Spiers, born Solihull 1959). Formed in the late 1970s, the band changed its name every year, subsequent names including Athletico Spizz 80, Spizzoil and the Spizzles. They are notable as the first band to top the newly created

UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Singles Chart and UK Independent Albums Chart are charts of the best-selling independent singles and albums, respectively, in the United Kingdom. Originally published in January 1980, and widely known as the indie chart, the rele ...

early in 1980 with the single "

Where's Captain Kirk? "Where's Captain Kirk?" is a 1979 single released by punk/new wave band Spizzenergi. It was released on the Rough Trade Records label and spent seven weeks at the top of the UK Indie Chart. Background The single was the fourth to be released by ...

" More than two decades after its release, it was included in ''

Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

'' magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.

Spizz's early years / Spizzoil

Spizz attended

Arden School Arden Academy (formerly Arden School) is a ten form entry (from 2015) mixed comprehensive secondary school with academy status It was re-designated as an 11-18 school in September 2008. Arden is situated in the village of Knowle, three miles ...

, Knowle, near

Solihull Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...

, a

comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...

in the

West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

, and was inspired by the burgeoning punk rock movement. After a

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. ''Q'' magazine in ...

gig at

Barbarella's Barbarella's was a nightclub and music venue located in Birmingham, England. The name of the club was taken from the film '' Barbarella''. The club opened in 1972 and closed in August 1979. This club was one of Eddie Fewtrell's clubs. Fewtre ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, he jumped on stage and sang, leading to 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), with whom he released a few singles during the height of punk's popularity. In 1978 Palmolive, drummer with

the Slits The Slits were a punk and post-punk band based in London, formed there in 1976 by members of the groups the Flowers of Romance and the Castrators. The group's early line-up consisted of Ari Up (Ariane Forster) and Palmolive (a.k.a. Paloma R ...

, joined the band, then named Spizzoil, for a few gigs. The band supported Siouxsie and the Banshees, among others, and later toured as a headline act in many European countries. Their lineup in late 1979 consisted of Spizz on vocals and guitar, Mark Coalfield on keyboard and vocals, Dave Scott on guitar, Jim Solar (real name James Little) on bass guitar and Hero Shima (real name Suresh Singh) on drums. With a distinctively new wave sound, as Spizzenergi they became the first number one band on the newly formed UK Indie Singles Chart in January 1980.

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

disc jockey

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

described "Where's Captain Kirk?" as "the best

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

associated song". Spizz created the artwork for the single cover using felt pens. This was the peak of Spizz's commercial popularity. This lineup continued as Athletico Spizz 80, gaining a considerable following. They became the only band to sell out the

Marquee Club The Marquee Club was a music venue first located at 165 Oxford Street in London, when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts. Its most famous period was from 1964 to 1988 at 90 Wardour Street in Soho, and it finally closed whe ...

for five consecutive nights (with a sixth alcohol-free, matinee show). "Where's Captain Kirk?" was featured in the 1981 live music film ''

Urgh! A Music War ''Urgh! A Music War'' is a 1982 British concert film featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk bands and artists. Filmed in August to September 1980 it was directed by Derek Burbidge and produced by Michael White and Lynd ...

''. This material was shown occasionally on late-night American cable TV, and may have helped prolong Spizz's fame. The band released an album entitled ''Do a Runner'' on A&M Records, to mixed reviews. When Lu Edmonds joined the lineup in 1981, the band changed its name to the Spizzles. The group released a record called ''Spikey Dream Flowers'', which cemented the group's sonic image as science-fiction weirdos. 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, the second wave of punk in the UK was over, and

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...

bands were taking over the indie music scene. Spizz was noted for his annual name change policy, which ceased when the

Guinness Book of Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

failed to recognise his claim that he had recorded and released the greatest number of recordings under different names (though the book's deputy editor, Shelagh Thomas, nevertheless confessed to owning "Where's Captain Kirk?"). American stadium rockers

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternative ...

(who started their band in the early 1980s) recorded a limited edition version of "Where's Captain Kirk?" in 1992, which they gave to fan club members.

1983–2009

After the demise of Spizzenergi 2, Spizz embarked on several solo projects (as SpizzOrwell and performing on ''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 ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'', 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, Molly Spiers-MacLeod in 1991, consumed the bulk of his energy as he stayed home to care for her. The fully-grown Spiers-MacLeod later became a bass player and contributing songwriter for the Poussez Posse (a band fronted by

Georgina Baillie Georgina Baillie is an English actor, artist, post-punk singer, songwriter, and formerly a burlesque performer. Her stage names have included Voluptua and Georgie Girl. From 2010 to 2013 she worked as a backing vocalist for Adam Ant and during ...

and mentored by

Adam Ant Stuart Leslie Goddard, better known as Adam Ant (born 3 November 1954), is an English singer, musician, and actor. He gained popularity as the lead singer of new wave group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring 10 UK top ten ...

) before leaving with fellow Posse members Danie Cox and Rachael Smith to form self-styled "flock rock" band

the Featherz The Featherz (formerly The Feathers) are a Welsh and English band with glam and punk influences (self-styled as "Flock Rock") led by Danie Centric (known as Danie Cox prior to January 2018, born 15 December 1990 in Bridgend) on lead vocals and ...

, who toured supporting

Boy George George Alan O'Dowd (born 14 June 1961), known professionally as Boy George, is an English singer, songwriter, DJ, author and mixed media artist. Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singe ...

, before she eventually left in May 2014. Currently, she plays in the Crack Foxes and the Untitled Band Project under the name Molly Energi.https://www.resonancefm.com/schedule/2019-10-05 as well as in I, Doris under the name Stunt Bass Doris. She and Cox also provided backing vocals for Wild Mutation, a glam-era covers band that Spizz himself fronted,https://www.wagnerartproduction.com/spizz-energi-uk and were both members of 2012 anniversary lineup Spizz '77. Aside from these projects, Spizz has continued to appear live, thanks to the encouragement of Paul Hallam, and releases material through

Cherry Red Records Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire by Iain McNay in 1978. The label has released recordings by Dead Kennedys, Everything But the Girl, The Monochrome Set, and Felt, among others, as well ...

. One exception was a release on Hallam's own label 442ok called "We're the England", his third England World Cup song attempt (previously "E for England" in 1998 and "On the Road to Yokohama" in 2002). Other Spizz football-related songs are "The Sun Never Sets on

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...

" (which appears on the club's official compact disc), "Three Lions in the Sky" (which was aimed at a television producer) and his own label "company song", "442ok". In May 2006, a maxi-single of the earliest known recording of "Where's Captain Kirk?" (from Spizz's own archives) was released. From 2007, the band Spizzenergi performed at mini festivals in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

and

Leuven Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic ...

. In May 2009, they supported the

New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved much commercial succe ...

at the

100 Club The 100 Club is a music venue located at 100 Oxford Street, London, England, where it has been hosting live music since 24 October 1942. It was originally called the Feldman Swing Club, but changed its name when the father of the current owner ...

Current activities

In 2012, Spizz and existing member Jeff Walker (drums) were joined by Luca Comencini (guitar), Ben Lawson (bass) and Phil Ross (guitar). Spizzenergi performed numerous shows, including the

Joe Strummer John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), known professionally as Joe Strummer, was a British singer, musician and songwriter. He was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of punk rock band the Clash, ...

Strummerville The Joe Strummer Foundation is a non-profit organisation which promotes the development of new music. It was established in memory of punk rock singer and guitarist Joe Strummer shortly after his death in December 2002. Strummer's widow Lucin ...

commemorative benefit festival at the

in London and a Fire Brigades Union benefit show along with

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

original bassist Glen Matlock and former guitarist of

the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...

Mick Jones. In 2013, Spizzenergi headlined shows in Leeds, London, Glasgow, Livingstone, Bristol, two consecutive and very successful shows at

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

's Cortina Bob and guest slots with the Rezillos and

Cockney Rejects Cockney Rejects are an English punk rock band (music), band that formed in the East End of London in 1978. Their 1980 song "Oi, Oi, Oi" was the inspiration for the name of the Oi! music genre. The band members are supporters of West Ham United ...

. Throughout 2014, the band played the

Rebellion Festival The Rebellion Festival, formerly Holidays in the Sun and the Wasted Festival is a British punk rock festival first held in 1996. The festival has attracted mainstream press coverage from such sources as The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily ...

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...

, the Undercover Punk Festival in Bisley and other UK cities, and went on a short tour of Germany. They also supported '80s post-punk icon Toyah at a sold-out show at the

O2 Academy Islington The O2 Academy Islington, formerly known as the Carling Academy Islington, is an indoor music venue situated in the N1 Shopping Centre accessible via Upper Street and Liverpool Road, in the London Borough of Islington. It is run by the Academy ...

. In September 2014, Spizzenergi released a single on 7" blood red vinyl through Plane Groovy Records entitled "City of Eyes", with a live studio version of "Soldier Soldier" on the B-side. The single was a cutting criticism of

surveillance society Mass surveillance is the intricate surveillance of an entire or a substantial fraction of a population in order to monitor that group of citizens. The surveillance is often carried out by local and federal governments or governmental organizati ...

, state intrusion and phone hacking. After playing it on his BBC show, DJ

Gary Crowley Gary Crowley (born 8 October 1961), is an English broadcaster, TV presenter and DJ.Burrell, Ian (2009), ''The Independent'', 9 November 2009, retrieved 2 November 2010 While still at school (Rutherford School, Marylebone, London) in the late 1970s ...

stated that Spizz's "pen had never been sharper." "City of Eyes" was accompanied by a highly acclaimed video shot by Brazilian art director Marcio Schenkel. In 2015, the band released a docu-movie produced by director Phill Calland entitled ''The Road to Wakefield Pier'', inspired by the

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...

book '' The Road to Wigan Pier'', in which the author documents 1930s poverty in the north of England and argues for socialism. ''The Road to Wakefield Pier'' includes live footage and interviews shot in

Wakefield Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...

when the band played in the town at Warehouse23. The band also completed a five-city UK tour with Spear of Destiny, a double headline

St. Valentine Saint Valentine ( it, San Valentino; la, Valentinus) was a 3rd-century Roman saint, commemorated in Western Christianity on February 14 and in Eastern Orthodoxy on July 6. From the High Middle Ages, his Saints' Day has been associated with ...

show with Department S, and a repeat appearance at the Undercover Festival. 2015 also saw headline shows in London, Munich and Augsburg, as well as five UK cities with Theatre of Hate, and back-to-back gigs in Edinburgh and Glasgow with the Rezillos. On September 20, 2016, the band headlined the 100 Club's 40th-anniversary punk festival. 2016 also saw the band perform at the Rebellion and Undercover punk festivals, the London Punk Festival, their own annual summer party at the

Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the se ...

, and in a guest appearance at the 2016 Bowie Convention in

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

. The band planned a 2017 live schedule to promote the release of a new vinyl single called "Here Come the Machines" and a reworking of "Red and Black" from the 1980 debut album. Long term drummer Jeff Waker was replaced in early 2020 by ex-Department S drummer Alan Galaxy. In 2020 a new single mixed by

Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of man ...

, "Christmas in Denmark Street" c/w "Shallow End" was released via Holy Dotage Records to great acclaim and, whilst not troubling the mainstream did reach number 7 in the Official UK Vinyl Chart and the top ten in Mike Read's much respected Heritage Chart. This was swiftly followed by a limited edition single of a faithful cover version of David Bowie's "

Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...

" which was again mixed by long term Bowie collaborator

, the initial pressing was issued on purple vinyl. Once again this made the Heritage Chart Top 10 along with a number 3 placing in the official UK vinyl chart. The band continue to tour nationally and are currently working on a new album which will be the first new Spizz album for over 30 years.

Discography

Albums

*''Do a Runner'' (as Athletico Spizz 80) (18 July 1980: A&M) # 27

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...

Cat No. AMLE 68514 Side 1: Touched (2:40) New Species (2:21) Intimate (2:00) Effortless (3:00) European Heroes (2:10) Energy Crisis (4:38) Side 2: Red And Black (3:48) The Rhythm Inside (2:30) Personimpersonator (2:40) Clocks Are Big (0:32) Airships (8:41) *''Spikey Dream Flower'' (as the Spizzles) (April 1981: A&M) Cat No. AMLE 68523 Side 1: Brainwashing Time (4:37) Five Year Mission (2:17) Dangers Of Living (3:32) Robot Holiday (2:27) Soldier, Soldier (3:47) Side 2: Downtown (3:00) Risk (3:34) Central Park (4:22) Melancholy (2:40) Scared (4:00)

Compilation albums / EPs

*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) *''Where’s Captain Kirk'' (May 2002: Cherry red)

Singles

John Peel sessions

List of all

radio recordings/sessions: * 1 August 1978 (Spizzoil) * 12 March 1979 (Spizzenergi) * 13 November 1979 (Spizzenergi) * 30 April 1980 (Athletico Spizz 80)

References

External links

Official site
* *
interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spizzenergi English punk rock groups Musical groups established in 1979 Musical groups from Birmingham, West Midlands English new wave musical groups English post-punk music groups