This theatrical UK punk-pop band was led by the inimitable Edward Tudor-Pole (b. 6 December 1955, London, England), who first took to the stage at the age of nine when he appeared in A Christmas Carol. After a course at Chiswick Polytechnic he went to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1977, he joined a band called the Visitors which also included future Riverside BBC Television host Mike Andrews. Tudor-Pole formed the band Tenpole Tudor with Gary Long (drums), Dick Crippen (bass) and Bob Kingston (guitar). Kingston came from a musical family and had previously been a member of Sta-Prest with his brother Ray, himself later in the Temper. His sister June would soon become a member of the Mo-Dettes. Tudor-Pole appeared in the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (Malcolm McLaren had been an early mentor) and performed "Who Killed Bambi", which appeared on the b-side of the Sex Pistols' UK Top 10 hit "Silly Thing". He also helped Paul Cook and Steve Jones write the title song to the film. The first single under the band's own name was "Real Fun", which came out on Korova Records. After signing to Stiff Records, the band released "Three Bells In A Row". Over the next few months they took part in the Sons Of Stiff tour, reached the UK charts three times, starting with the raucous Top 10 hit "Swords Of A Thousand Men", recruited a second guitarist in the form of Munch Universe, and released two albums, before they suddenly went out of fashion once more.

Listen to Tenpole Tudor at Finetune.

• The Jam
• Human League
• The Clash
• The Cure
• Buzzcocks
• The Specials
• New Order
• Martha & The Muffins
• Rolling Stones
• Madness
• Elvis Costello & The Attractions
• The Stranglers
• Soft Cell
• Iggy Pop
• David Bowie
• The B-52s
• Siouxsie And The Banshees
• The Damned
• Bad Manners
• Depeche Mode

• wildweasel