Nick Tesco
{{Short description|British musician (1955–2022)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Nick Tesco
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = composer, singer, actor
| birth_name = Nick Lightowlers
| alias =
| birth_date = 1955
| death_date = 26 February 2022
| origin = Belfast
| instrument = vocals
| genre = rock, pop, punk
| occupation = singer, songwriter, actor
| years_active = 1976–2008
| label =
| associated_acts = The Members
| website = }}
Nick Lightowlers (1955 – 26 February 2022) was a British performer, lyricist, producer, and music industry professional better known to many by his stage name Nick Tesco, the lead singer of The Members.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-28 |title=Nicky Tesco of UK punks The Members has died aged 66 |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/nicky-tesco-of-uk-punks-the-members-has-died-aged-66-3171273 |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}
Career
As a founding member and co-songwriter of the Members, Tesco fronted the band from 1976 until his departure and the subsequent split of the band in 1983.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-12 |title=The Members: how we made Sound of the Suburbs |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/12/the-members-how-we-made-sound-of-the-suburbs |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} The Members, from Camberley, Surrey, signed with Virgin Records at the tail-end of punk in 1978 and had a No.12 hit with the single "The Sound of the Suburbs". Co-written by Tesco and Jean-Marie Carroll, the single reportedly sold 250,000 copies and went on to become a staple of punk compilations.
After leaving the band, Tesco co-performed and released the 1983 single "Cost of Living" for UK based independent label Albion Records with J. Walter Negro.{{Citation |title=J.Walter Negro / Nicky Tesco - Cost Of Living |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/925172-JWalter-Negro-Nicky-Tesco-Cost-Of-Living |language=en |access-date=2022-02-27}}
Albion Records was a label he had previously worked for as a producer (The Outpatients single "New Japanese Hairstyles" (1981){{Citation |title=The Outpatients - New Japanese Hairstyles |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1273277-The-Outpatients-New-Japanese-Hairstyles |language=en |access-date=2022-02-27}}) and it was as a producer that he continued to work for the remainder of the decade - extensively for CBS, but also East West, WEA and Ariola.{{Cite web |title=Nicky Tesco |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/282351-Nicky-Tesco |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=Discogs |language=en}}
In 1989, he appeared in Leningrad Cowboys Go America, written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki, a film about a fictional Russian rock band touring the US. This fictional band then toured and recorded in real life from 1990 until 1994.{{Citation |title=Leningrad Cowboys |date=2022-02-20 |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leningrad_Cowboys&oldid=1073079823 |work=Wikipedia |language=en |access-date=2022-02-27}} Leningrad Cowboys Go America was followed five years later by a sequel, Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994) and a concert film Total Balalaika Show (1994).{{Cite web |title=Nicky Tesco |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856254/ |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=IMDb}}
In 1998, he joined Music Week and produced the Music Week Directory from 1999 until 2009{{Cite web |title=Tributes to Nick Tesco, punk icon and Music Week journalist: 'A genuinely great human being' |url=https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/tributes-to-nick-tesco-punk-icon-and-music-week-journalist-a-genuinely-great-human-being/085310 |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=www.musicweek.com |language=en}} and also appeared in other films such as Iron Horsemen{{Citation |last=Charmant |first=Gilles |title=Iron Horsemen |date=1995-01-27 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110156/ |type=Action, Comedy |publisher=Villealfa Filmproductions, Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC), Noé Productions |access-date=2022-02-27}} and I Hired a Contract Killer{{Citation |last=Kaurismäki |first=Aki |title=I Hired a Contract Killer |date=1990-10-12 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099818/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 |type=Comedy, Drama, Romance |publisher=Villealfa Filmproductions, Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI), Finnkino I |access-date=2022-02-27}} and BBC 6's Roundtable. {{Cite web |date=2020-06-20 |title=Blank Generation 19 - The Sound Of Nicky Tesco |url=https://www.phoenixfm.com/2020/06/20/blank-generation-19-sound-nicky-tesco/ |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Phoenix FM}}
In 2007, the Members reformed and toured the UK.{{Cite web |date=2018-02-04 |title=The Sound of the Suburbs – north of Brighton |url=https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2018/02/04/the-sound-of-the-suburbs-north-of-brighton/ |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Brighton and Hove News |language=en-US}}
Death
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7pPhSKiCfU&feature=PlayList&p=B4D7A9337F540488&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1 Nick (Nicky) Tesco biographical videos.]
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856254/ Nicky Tesco filmography]
- [http://www.musicgoulash.blogspot.com Nick Tesco music review blog.]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tesco, Nick}}
Category:20th-century British male singers