Pacing the floor at Punk’s birth in the Seventies, splitting up as it was overtaken by Ska and New Romantics in the Eighties, and re-forming due to European bootleg interest in their back catalogue in the Noughties,The Zips, are keen to make up for lost time. With 5 new cd eps on their own Tenement Toons label, a download single for Oxfam’s Make Poverty History campaign,The Zips finally released their debut album, Guitars4Hire, Sept 2006 – 27 years after their debut single, The Zips ep, which was a fave of the late-great John Peel, and copies of which, now fetch up to $427 on eBay!
2009 saw a 500 copy re-release, in 7” vinyl of The Zips EP by Brooklyn label, Sing Sing Records.
In 2011, The Zips unleashed their second album, 19 Forevva, and on the 10th anniversary, of Joe Strummer’s death, the band released a download-only, single, Road To Strummerville, with profits to his charity, Strummerville.
A split vinyl album with Berlin-based tour buddies, Erotic Devices was issued by Clash-City-Records in 2014, ahead of a third tour of Germany.
No strangers to local and internet radio, the band also have a reputation for rip-roaring stage performances, supporting bands like, Dr Feelgood, UK Subs, 999, The Lurkers, Vic Godard & Subway Sect, and Eddie & The Hot Rods. This means they are always in demand on the live circuit, throughout Europe.
2015 saw the self-titled, Stepfathers of Punk release an advance copy of their 3rd album, Down With The Zips, to coincide with a further mini-tour of Germany.
In 2016, the band recorded a song called, 40 Years Of Punk Rock, which was released as a split 7” single with Fire Exit, and were booked for the Nice N Sleazy Festival, and a fifth tour of Germany in May.
Tarbeach Records (NYC) included 2 Zips’ songs on a compilation CD, and a 7” single with The Zips’ Barabara Wire, and a Jonzip acoustic version of 19 Forevva.
Meanwhile, Down With The Zips album was released worldwide, download & cd, on CDBaby.com on 22/4/16.
2017 The Zips played Rebellion Festival in August, and other dates around the UK. However, priority was given to recording tracks for a 4th album, including 7 songs recorded in Berlin, in between a German tour in April, and the Joe Strummer Tribute gig in Berlin on 3rd June. Prior to that, Tarbeach Records (NYC) released a 7” single with The Zips’ Barabara Wire, on one side, and a Jonzip acoustic version of 19 Forevva, on the other, on 31st March.
2018 was the 40th anniversary of the The Zips formation, and they were featured in Gary Crowley’s Punk and New Wave compilation album (https://www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk/rsd18 ), supplying a track from The Zips EP, Take Me Down. Gig-wise, it was a busy year with the MAYhem Tour 2018, a week-long series of dates in early May in Germany & Czech Republic, and a second, whistle stop tour of Switzerland, Germany and Austria, later that month, with long-term tour buddies, Erotic Devices. October also saw The Zips in Portugal for 3 dates, after Jonzip’s solo tour, last year, and Ireland.
2019 will see the release of the as-yet untitled 4th album, and 2 live recordings from '79 and '80 + booklet of lyrics/interviews/photos, but has already seen a track, Take Me Down included in a new Cherry Red Records compilation, Big Gold Dreams (A Story of Scottish Independent Music 1977-1989) https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/big-gold-dreams-a-story-of-scottish-independent-music-1977-1989-5cd-boxset
Meanwhile, the band will appear at a number ofUK festivals, including Rebellion Festival (1st Aug) in the Opera House, as well as Strummercamp (25th May), and Morecambe Punk Festival (16th Nov). Whilst, their Euro adventures continue with Spree Punk Rockers (Berlin),with Charlie Harper & TV Smith (23rd June).