A to Z of N. Ireland Punk Bands

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The Teenage Zits sprouted up overnight in Antrim back in 1979 The original band line was Mark McPolin, Drums, Adrian Scott (Scottie) Guitar, Pete Cunneen bass and Chris McPolin vocals.

This line up rehearsed regularly but never managed to play a live gig before Pete upped and left the band. Pete’s replacement on bass was Rab Gibb. The band’s debut gig followed an event Chris McPolin recalls vividly “The first gig was at Ardenaviegh High School in Antrim at end of 1979 or early 1980, I can’t quite remember. It was a weird one. We had to beg to be allowed 30 minutes at some school disco or something. As we loaded our gear up, there was an altercation with some ‘Mods’ but we managed to get to the gig, only to find that the RUC were there waiting! We were allowed to load our stuff into the backstage area, but were then locked in! We also later found out that any of the young ‘punks’ who had come to see us were forced or asked to “take their boots off” before entering the hall. This was apparently a move to stop trouble if it ‘kicked off’. I have no idea if people actually did so." Scottie has memories of that night too “I remember the first gig too, it was an RUC Blue Lamp run school disco, and was very well attended by the local mods! Before we went on there was a Rock 'n’ Roll dance demonstration! Then we were announced as Antrim's answer to the Cockney Rejects! The punks were indeed asked to remove their boots! Although the fear of things 'kicking off' may have been a factor, it was more to do with the fact the school didn't want our dirty DM's marking their precious hall floor! Was a good gig though! Until they decided to unplug us and lock us away again! Apparently for our own safety as there were about 150 mods congregated outside”.

Further gigs followed including one at an army camp in Antrim. Again Chris recalls the gig “it was Very rowdy and loud but it was good fun, despite the torrential rain, that was leaking through and flooding the floor, always good when you’re playing electric guitars etc. Apart from a few flying glasses, we got out of there alive”. Scottie “The camp gig was good fun. Singing Sex Pistols songs to a bunch of squaddies probably wasn't the best idea we'd ever had! The local squaddie groupies enjoyed us though! Frightened the life out of me though, being so young and impressionable”

The band built up a strong set of original material including tracks such as SPG, Last Resort and Forget What it’s Called. These tracks were sent off to Dial House, Crass HQ with a view to having one or more of the tracks featured on an up and coming Bullshit Detector compilation album on Crass records. The songs were subsequently rejected by Crass and I believe that the band was advised to write some songs about war and submit those! The band eventually decided to change their name to Dirty Noise and that part of their story is featured elsewhere on this web site.

On 29th March 2022 Spit Records released Shellshock Rockers Vol. 3, a compilation CD of previously unreleased tracks, all salvaged from old cassette tapes. This featured The Teenage Zits track 'Last Resort', recorded in 1980.