Writeup on The Swingers
from the AK79 liner notes by Simon Grigg
The Swingers
In December 1978 the Suburban Reptiles mutated into a two headed monster,
for their final gig, the premiere of David Blythís "Angel Mine"
movie (for which they provided the track "Rosie"). One half,
a band formed around Billy Planet & Jimmy Joy performed as The Suburban
Reptiles, then the other half, with Buster Stiggs, Zero, Bones Hillman
and Phil Judd performed, also as The Suburban Reptiles. This second lot,
by early 1979, minus Zero, had become The Swingers, and were resident at
Liberty Stage in Symonds Street, where they were hugely popular, although
more with the Ponsonby/Freemans Bay-villa-renovating crowd than punks.
Nevertheless, they released a killer single (their best?) on Ripper, "One
Good Reason", contributed 2 tunes to AK79, and did a tour with Split
Enz before heading to Australia to count the beat. Of course Bones ended
up in Midnight Oil, and has probably made more money than everybody else
on this album combined. It couldnít have happened to a nicer guy.
Lineup: Phil Judd (guitar, vocals), Bones
Hillman (bass), Buster Stiggs (drums)
Tracks: A Certain Sound (Judd/Stiggs/Stevens)
Baby (Judd/Stiggs/Stevens) both recorded at Mascot and produced
by Phil Judd. Taken from AK79.
