THE STEROID KIDDIES Manchester

Steroid Kiddies / Dumb Dumb / Accidents / The Link

Catalogue Number - SK 001

Label - Grundinga

Year Of Release - 1979

Quantity Pressed - 1000

  Formed from the break up of Heavy Metal band "Wiffer" (1975), the three founder members, Geoff, Mike & Roger got their hair cut, got the singer to shave off his Magnum P.I. moustache and after many fruitless shopping trips around Manchester's now defunct underground market, searching for drainpipe jeans, eventually persuaded their mums to 'take in' their flares (a process which tended to make the seams drift round to the front!!), and arrived as "The Stance", with drummer 'Graham Darbyshire' in early 1976.

Inspired by late nights listening to 'John Peel' playing, what was then, the completely original and thrilling and energetic sounds of 'The Clash', 'The Damned' and the 'Pistols' etc. They decided 'Hey we could have a go at this!'

In 1978 'The Stance' evolved in to 'The Steroid Kiddies', having picked up a new drummer 'Ian Humpries' on the way.

Rehearsing at the legendary 'T.J. Davidson's' rehearsal rooms, on Little Peter Street, Manchester, along with the likes of the 'Buzzcocks', 'Joy Division' Et al, not to mention "Michael the Security Tramp", and his scary German Wolf dog, the band crafted and finely honed their skills until they had mastered four chords instead of the customary three!

They were now ready to take the world by storm - unfortunately the local pubs and clubs weren't so enthusiastic. Gigs came thick and slow, leaving the band to play at a range of venues, including - 'The Tower Club' in Oldham (in between the strippers), 'Spread Eagle' (infamous Bikers pub) in Ashton-Under-Lyne, 'The Wilton' in Prestwich, 'Rafters' in Manchester, 'White Lion' in Putney (along with 'Crass' and the UK Subs), 'Oldham Coliseum Theatre', 'Middleton Civic Hall' (with Ed Banger and the Nosebleads and the Smurfs, ....sorry Smirks!), 'Rochdale Football Club' (with 999), 'Pips' in Manchester (the night Warsaw became Joy Division and Skrewdriver, who didn't perform but tried to engage us in a round of fisticuffs instead - very scary!!) and some wine bar in Leeds.

Obviously it would only be a matter of time before a wealth of acclaim would tap them on the shoulder and propel them into the 'limelight'.

Strangely enough, the public hadn't paid the 'leccy bill and the light failed to shine. Instead, they contented themselves with endless rehearsals and stints in the recording studio.

Having unsuccessfully, on more than one occasion, trekked around London's record companies (including one that specialised in steam engine recordings!) and constant jibes from Geoff's mum and dad - "Get a proper job", "When are we going to see you on Top of the Pops?" - (in fact the band had already featured on 'T.J. Davidson's' Identity Parade album with a strange ditty called 'Seaside Teaser' see below). They did what most bands had to do at the time, they released their own record. A track from this single, plus a totally unreleased track can be heard on the forth coming 'Bored Teenagers volume 4' album.

'Grundinga Records' was born with the Frugal Bird as a mascot and the 'Steroid Kiddies' 4-Track EP was released.

The company, like the band, was an instant success and twenty-five years later has a back catalogue now totalling one.

In fact the record did receive airplay, including more that once by Manchester's 'Piccadilly' Radio and 'John Peel', who took a liking to the track 'Accidents', and the record reached the dizzy heights of number 3 in the 'Sounds' alternative charts of 1979 (must of sold at least 2 dozen copies then!!!)

As the band gently drifts into middle age, Geoff, Mike and Roger still meet up and content themselves with the fact that at this exciting time in music's history when all no hopers seemed to have at least half a chance of 'making it big', that they had a go....THEY WERE THERE!

Mike O'Gorman

January 2005   

 

 

All live photos taken at the "Middleton Civic Hall", October 1978

"Identity Parade"

Compilation

The Steroid Kiddies appeared on the above compilation album with a track called "Seaside Teaser" alongside over Manchester bands such as '"V2", "Mellotron", "Direct Hits", "Genocide", "Speed", "Eddie Mooney & The Grave", "She Cracked", "Sister Ray" & "The Teardrops". It was released on the 'TJM' label in 1980 with a catalogue number of TJML1.

Thanks to Mike O'Gorman & Roger Hamilton

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