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British musician (1955–2022) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1]
Nick Tesco | |
---|---|
Birth name | Nick Lightowlers |
Born | 1955 |
Origin | Belfast |
Died | 26 February 2022 |
Genres | rock, pop, punk |
Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter, actor |
Instrument | vocals |
Years active | 1976–2008 |
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.[2] 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.[3]
Albion Records was a label he had previously worked for as a producer (The Outpatients single "New Japanese Hairstyles" (1981)[4]) 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.[5]
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.[6] 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).[7]
In 1998, he joined Music Week and produced the Music Week Directory from 1999 until 2009[8] and also appeared in other films such as Iron Horsemen[9] and I Hired a Contract Killer[10] and BBC 6's Roundtable. [11]
In 2007, the Members reformed and toured the UK.[12]
Lightowlers died aged 67 on 26 February 2022.[13]
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