Peter & the Test Tube Babies

Brighton, England punk survivors Peter and the Test Tube Babies formed in 1978; soon debuting on the Vaultage 1978 compilation, the group -- singer Peter Bywaters, guitarist Derek "Del" Greening, bassist Chris "Trapper" Marchant and drummer Nicholas "Ogs" Loizides -- nevertheless did not issue their first proper single "Banned from the Pubs" until 1982, firmly establishing their tongue-in-cheek approach with the follow-up "Run Like Hell." Subsequent singles including "Zombie Creeping Flesh" and "The Jinx" preceded the 1983 release of the Test Tubes' first full-length effort, Pissed and Proud; The Mating Sounds of South American Frogs appeared just weeks later, topping the UK indie charts. 1986's Soberphobia was the Test Tubes' first American release, but the group was silent for the remainder of the decade, finally resurfacing in the early 1990s with little-heard efforts including Cringe and The $Hit Factory. Eighteen years after the group's inception, co-founders Trapper and Ogs left the lineup following the completion of 1995's Supermodels; bassist A.D. and drummer Rum signed on for 1998's Alien Pubduction, followed two years later by The Final Nail. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide