The Numatikz were a short-lived punk band from West Belfast, formed in the early 1980’s. The nucleus of band were Tony ‘Bear’ Duff vocals, and Philip ‘Pip’ Smyth on guitar. Bear and Pip decided to become punks after attending a Halloween disco in Iveagh Community Centre dressed as punks, which generated such a crazy reaction, i.e. fellow kids laughing and spitting on them, they thought, yep this is what we are looking for, and promptly became punks.

Pip recalls how the band started “After following the Producers, who then became the Ex - Producers, we decided to form a band of our own. We would attend the weekly practice sessions of the Ex - Producers in The Willowbank Youth Club.”

Initial rehearsals took place in their bedrooms but they soon joined the Ex Producers at The Youth Club. Their initial bass player was called Joe, but on the night of they were due to play a Battle of The Bands gig at the Bank Bar on the Falls road, he informed the rest of the band that he had become a Mod, and promptly left! Dee Moore of the Ex-Producers filled in on bass that night. The bass slot was eventually filled by Dave. The band never managed to secure their own drummer, with John Cullen (Ex-Producers) doing the honours at all their gigs.

The band quickly built up a set of original material, all written by Bear and Pip. Songs played included, ‘Fun’, ‘In the 80’s’, ‘Tora Tora Tora’, ‘Don’t Feed The Animals’, and ‘Collaborator’.

‘Fun’: A general opposition to the Sex Pistols (Stooges Cover) ‘No Fun’, as in we're having great fun.

’In the 80’s’ : A song exploring what had passed in the 70’s, and what the 80’s held in store.

’Tora Tora Tora’: Was a song about Pearl Harbour.

‘Don’t Feed The Animals’: A song about the bouncers at the Ulster Hall. Trying not to antagonise them, as they were only looking an excuse to batter the kids. “Don’t feed them with an excuse”

‘Collaborator’: Song relating to our original bass player who decided to become a Mod. Written by an irate punkette fan called Anne.

Bear was the obvious front man, with natural good looks and charisma, and thus became the singer, Pip decided to play guitar, then having to learn. His younger brother played guitar and also had recently bought an electric guitar, so he had a ready made tutor and easy access to a guitar.

The picture above shows The Numaticz with Dee Moore on bass and John Cullen on drums, Both bands gigged quote often together. One memorable occasion being when they both played at the Glen Community Centre in 1981. The gig was organised to raise funds for the Stardust Nightclub fire in Dublin on Valentines Day 1981, where 48 people lost their lives. Monies raised at the gig were donated to the disaster fund which had been set up by the Lord Mayor of Dublin.

John Cullen (aka Johnny Hero) remembers The Numaticz fondly “I remember playing a gig with them one night in Horn Drive Community Centre that was bunged to the rafters. There was a crowd of wee girls at the front idolising Bear! Pip and Bear were a big part of the scene in West Belfast. They went to every gig and supported everyone. Tony was a really dead on guy with a dry sense of humour. All of those who were there were greatly saddened by the news of his passing”.

If you have any further information or photographs of this band, then please DO get in contact via spit77to82@aol.com