Formed in Belfast in September 1977, the original line up of the band featured Steve Rainey lead guitar, Andrew [Aza] Middleton bass, Billy McIlwaine drums and Joe Moody [aka Joe Zero] vocals and guitar. Initial rehearsals took place in the old ARE, situated upstairs at the corner of Lombard Street and Rosemary Street.

Their debut gig took place on Friday 10th February 1978 at the Arts Council Gallery in Bedford Street, Belfast. Further gigs followed around Belfast at the Harp bar and the Glenmachan Stables with bands such as The Outcasts, Rudi, Stiff Little Fingers and Protex. The Androids clearly had more depth, musically and lyrically than many of their archetypical punk by numbers counterparts at the time. A common lyrical theme running through Androids songs was that of being different, being on the outside, whether that was from being a Belfast punk or just simply being “different from the norm”.

The band played a local Rock Against Racism gig early in their time together and also became involved in the (successful) "Free Noreen Winchester" campaign” playing benefit gigs and publicising the campaign at their gigs. They also recorded 4 songs at Downtown. They touted these tracks around London in the summer of 1978 without success and played their final gig in Uxbridge in mid-June with the Statistics before returning to N. Ireland and splitting up. Billy McIlwaine recalls the band split “I think we split because Aza and Joe wanted Steve out as he was showing some "rock tendencies" and we had a vote on it after which I decided to stick with Steve and the other guys left. For what it's worth, I think Joe was the most talented songwriter in the band and we should have stayed together - could have done good things”. Sadly live favourites such as “Bastards” "Within These Walls", "Wilma" and "The MInce" a cracking instrumental, were never committed to tape.

Thankfully however all 4 tracks ‘Lipstick Heroes’, "Nine to Five", "Terminal Breakout" and  “Suggestions?” recorded at Downtown in 1978 and mixed by Stephen (Rastus) Nelson RIP were released for the very first time by Spit Records in 2012 in the compilation CD Shellshock Rockers. This 24 track CD has long since SOLD OUT. In 2013 Punkerama Records issued the tracks as a seven inch single and the following year Boston based Radio Raheem Records again issued the tracks as a limited run single with a new picture sleeve, including an insert .

While Joe and Aze joined Belfast band Victim, Billy and Steve wasted no time in getting The Andriods back together and the very next day recruited Robin Holmes on bass, and David Bowie fan Jim Megarry on vocals (Jim incidentally was Joe’s cousin) and Jeremy Nicholl was brought in on guitar. A comeback gig of sorts was then staged at the Harp Bar in the winter of 78. This line up continued gigging into 1979 and live performed some of the songs from the first incarnation of the band, such as Lipstick Heroes, lyrics of which had been written for the band by Private World fanzine editor Alwyn greer. They also recorded two new tracks at Wizard studio for a proposed compilation album on Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label before splitting again in the summer of 79. The master reels of these recordings were salvaged by Spit Records from Terri's garage and Sunday Sometimes and Bondage In Belfast finally got released as a limited edition 7" single in 2018, althouh “Bondage” had surfaced on the Anagram CD Good Vibrations - The Punk singles collection released in 1994.

After the band split for a second time Billy briefly earned loads slumming it with the "Fresh Boogie Band" on the covers band circuit. Steve moved to England and the others either got jobs, got married or both! Robin, Jim and Billy worked again in 1980 as Urban Bitch, playing new wave material with Billy’s wife Kerry on synth. Their story is recounted elsewhere on this web site.

The Androids - Live at the Harp Bar, Belfast - review by Gavin Martin for the NME

Recently opened in the Harp Bar is a small downstairs room generally used for Saturday afternoon gigs but tonight, because of an electricity failure, The Androids have to use a generator and play in the sweater, cramped but structurally less-incongruous surroundings of this intimate meeting place.

The Androids are now a dozen gigs old. They retain only two members of the combo the were the first of Ulster’s coterie of bands to go to London and publicise their presence at NME’s offices, and famed for their support of the “Free Noreen Winchester” campaign. Heavy Metal/Punk dross and precious little else.

Never having had the opportunity to catch this new incarnation I was expecting an extension of the monochromatic ear-bleeding assault of old, but I was presently surprised to find there is at least one band who are moving in areas different to those of Belfast’s hot-pop bands and doing it with measurable ; pleasurable style and success.

There was more than a suggestion that the band have a definite musical vision ; they know what they’re after and how to get it. No caterwauling cliches or simplistic chord structures this time around, although the venom of their attack is occasionally spoilt by an unhealthy penchant for self-indulgence, mostly apparent in the unnecessary instruments at the tailed on their songs.

But their sound is a high-grade steely excellence redolent of Dead Fingers Talk (a sadly under-rated outfit) at their best, with strong precise guitar work cutting its way through a flourishing rhythm section. But they have pacing as well as punch and when the need arrises they play with a modicum of gliding and sliding restraint.

Like D.F.T. their main problem is content rather than form. Having carved themselves a solid musical framework to work in, their ability to write songs suited to their own chosen niche is in question. Only one or two of their originals stood out as being of any real merit, while it was an impassioned reading of “Heroin” and the short sharp flick-knife to the jugular action deployed on Ray Davis “You Really Got Me” that displayed their confidence and brain-scouring vim to best advantage.

Visually, they’re great with a bass player who looks like a Hanna-Barbara caricature of Frankenstein’s monster pulling a few odd expressions as he moves and merges with the rest of the five-piece in a combustible presentation fitted to their music.

The Androids are exciting to watch. I’ll add them to the list of Ulster bands to look out for.