SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG : #391: THE ZIPS

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From the booklet accompanying Big Gold Dreams, the 5xCD compilation covering Scottish independent music 1977-1989, issue by Cherry Red back in 2019.

Saturday afternoons at Glasgow’s Custom House Quay beside the River Clyde were once enlivened by the sound of The Zips, whose poppy take on punk was exemplified by this lead track from a four-song EP released on the Black Gold label in April 1979

mp3: The Zips – Take Me Down

Formed by pub rock veterans John McNeil and guitarist Brian Jackson, with Phil Mullen on bass and Joe Jaconelli on drums, the Zips released a second single, Radioactivity, on their own Tenement Toons label, funded by Jackson’s granny in solidarity with the A-side’s anti-nuclear stance.  The Zips reunited in 2002, since when they have released numerous EPs and four albums.

JC

2 thoughts on “SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG : #391: THE ZIPS

  1. To the best of my knowledge, just the two 7″ singles were released before they split up. Copies of both are listed for sale on Discogs.

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