The Spizzles - Spikey Dream Flowers

Spikey Dream Flowers is the 1981 studio album by the British post-punk band The Spizzles, released through A&M Records. The project was led by Kenneth "Spizz" Spiers, a vocalist famous for changing his band's name nearly every year, recording alternatively as Spizzenergi, Athletico Spizz 80, and Spizzoil. For this specific album, the lineup featured guitarist Lu Edmonds, whose distinct, jagged guitar work helped shape the record's nervous energy. Musically, the album delivers a blend of driving new wave rhythms, synthesizer accents, and sharp art-punk sensibilities.

The album is highly regarded for its eccentric, science-fiction lyrical themes, which are prominently displayed on tracks like "Robot Holiday" and "Five Year Mission (Featuring 'The Return Of Spock')". While it did not match the commercial heights of the band's earlier hit single "Where's Captain Kirk?", Spikey Dream Flowers remains a cult classic for collectors of early 1980s alternative rock. It is celebrated today by post-punk enthusiasts for its quirky charm, dark humor, and stand-out tracks like "Central Park" and "Dangers Of Living".

Athletico Spizz 80 - Do A Runner

Do A Runner is the 1980 debut studio album by the English post-punk band Athletico Spizz 80, led by vocalist Kenneth "Spizz" Spiers. Released by A&M Records, the album marked a distinct sonic shift from the band's earlier, quirky punk-pop hits like "Where's Captain Kirk?" (released under the name Spizzenergi). Recorded over a single bank holiday weekend at London's Berry Street Studio, the record delivers a darker, more angular blend of sci-fi-inflected jazz-punk and new wave. It explores paranoid, dystopian themes ranging from technological anxiety to environmental ruin, all framed by Spizz's signature eccentric vocal delivery.

Though the album's experimental and brooding tone initially polarized contemporary music critics, it has since grown into a celebrated cult classic of the post-punk era. The original 11-track vinyl release features standout tracks like "European Heroes" and the sprawling, eight-minute closer "Airships." Visually defined by a striking sleeve co-designed with the Rocking Russian design group, the album remains a vital time capsule of the band's ever-evolving identity—a career marked by constant re-invention and frequent name changes.

Athletico Spizz 80 - No Room 7''

Released in June 1980 on Rough Trade Records (RT 005), "No Room" is a classic post-punk 7-inch single by Athletico Spizz 80, one of the many moniker variations used by English vocalist Spizz. The record features the driving, energetic track "No Room (Coalfield)" on the A-side and "Spock's Missing" on the B-side, showcasing the band's distinctive blend of fast-paced new wave rhythms and sci-fi-inflected punk attitude. Recorded at Gateway Studios in South London, the lineup included Spizz on vocals, Pete "Scott" Barrett on guitar, Mark Coalfield on piano, Jim Solar on bass, and C.P. Snare on drums. Original UK pressings were issued in a distinctive black-and-white picture sleeve and remain a popular, affordable collector's item for fans of early indie and post-punk history.

Athletico Spizz 80 - So Far So Good

Athletico Spizz 80 was the 1980 incarnation of the pioneering English punk and new wave band led by vocalist and songwriter Kenneth "Spizz" Spiers. Renowned for their eccentric gimmick of changing the band's name annually—alternating over the years between Spizzoil, Spizzenergi, and The Spizzles—the group adopted the "Athletico" moniker to satirise corporate branding ahead of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Melding the aggressive, raw energy of traditional punk rock with quirky, space-age synthesizers, they carved out a unique sci-fi niche within the UK post-punk landscape. Just as they transitioned into this era, their defining anthem "Where's Captain Kirk?" made history by becoming the first-ever number-one single on the newly created UK Indie Chart, cementing their cult legacy.

Under the Athletico Spizz 80 banner, the band enjoyed their most commercially successful and prolific year. They signed with A&M Records and released their official debut full-length studio album, Do a Runner, which climbed into the Top 30 of the UK Albums Chart. Driven by the core lineup of Spizz, guitarist Dave Scott, keyboardist Mark Coalfield, bassist Jim Solar, and drummer Hero Shima, the group became a formidable live act, famously becoming the first band to sell out London's legendary Marquee Club for five consecutive nights. Their frenetic performance style was further immortalised in the iconic 1981 new wave concert documentary Urgh! A Music War, right before the calendar turned and Spizz inevitably rebranded the band once again for the new year.

Spizzenergi - Spizz Not Dead Shock! (1978-88 Decade Of Spizz History)

Spizz Not Dead Shock!: 1978-88, A Decade of Spizz History is a 22-track retrospective CD compilation album by the British punk and new wave band Spizzenergi, released in 1996 by Cherry Red Records. The album chronicles the turbulent ten-year evolution of the band led by frontman Kenneth "Spizz" Spiers, who famously changed the group's name almost every year to match his changing musical directions. Collecting material recorded under various monikers—including Spizzoil, Athletico Spizz 80, The Spizzles, and Spizzenergi2—the release captures a unique blend of angular post-punk, minimalist electronics, and campy sci-fi themes that defined the UK alternative underground after the initial 1977 punk explosion.

The compilation features essential early singles, John Peel session recordings, and rare B-sides, anchored by their legendary signature anthem "Where's Captain Kirk?"—a track that famously secured the first-ever number-one spot on the UK Indie Singles Chart in January 1980. Other notable inclusions such as "Spock's Missing," "6000 Crazy," and "Soldier Soldier" highlight the band's transition from raw guitar punk to synth-driven new wave. Serving as both a historical document and an introduction to Spizz's chaotic discography, this comprehensive collection has become a sought-after collector's item for fans of classic British independent music.

Spizzenergi - Where's Captain Kirk? 7''

"Where's Captain Kirk?" is the iconic December 1979 punk and new wave 7" vinyl single by the English band Spizzenergi. Released on Rough Trade Records (RTSO 4) with the B-side "Amnesia", the energetic, sci-fi-themed track earned legendary status by topping the very first UK Indie Singles Chart in January 1980 and staying there for seven consecutive weeks. Known for its distinct picture sleeve and a quirky, sped-up audio outro on original pressings, this highly collectible 45 RPM record remains a definitive cult classic of the post-punk era, spawning numerous color vinyl reissues and enduring popularity among alternative music enthusiasts.

Spizzenergi - Soldier Soldier 7''

Released in September 1979 by the British punk/new wave band Spizzenergi, the "Soldier Soldier" 7-inch vinyl is a defining indie-punk single put out by the legendary Rough Trade label (RTSO3). Fronted by the eccentric Kenneth "Spizz" Spiers—famous for constantly changing his band's name—the record features a driving, energetic A-side that captures the raw post-punk spirit of the era, wrapped in a distinctive black-and-white picture sleeve. The release is highly regarded by collectors for its B-side, a fast-paced punk cover of Roxy Music's classic track "Virginia Plain," making original 1979 pressings a sought-after piece of UK DIY music history.

Spizzoil - Cold City: 4 7'' EP

Released in 1979 on Rough Trade Records, "Cold City : 4" is a seminal post-punk 7-inch EP by the English band Spizzoil, fronted by the perennially changing vocalist Spizz. Produced by Mike Thorne, the four-track vinyl record—comprising "Cold City," "Red & Black," "Solarisation," and "Platform 3"—is highly celebrated by collectors for its tense, eerie, and atmospheric blend of raw punk energy and minimal electronic instrumentation.

Spizzoil - 6000 Crazy 7''

Released in 1978 as the debut single from British punk/new wave band Spizzoil, "6000 Crazy" is a seminal 7-inch EP that stands as a cornerstone of the early post-punk movement. Published by Rough Trade Records (catalogue number RTSO-1), the 3-track release—featuring the titular A-side alongside B-sides "1989" and "Fibre"—showcases the chaotic, high-energy style of frontman Spizz. Highly sought after by vinyl collectors, the record exists in several distinct pressing variants, including the 1978 original with a "Copyright Control" or "Orwell-Endwell" credit, and a 1980 Lyntone reissue featuring a "Blonde Reed" publishing credit.