The Teazers

The Teazers

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1978
Founder	Paul Hopfensperger, Lee Jacobs, Nigel Stemp
Defunct	1983
Fate	Disbanded; reformed in 2024
Headquarters	Bury St Edmunds , England
Area served	United Kingdom
Products	Pop music, singles, EPs

The Teazers were a British pop ensemble from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, active during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and closely linked to the mod revival movement of that era.

Established in 1978 by lead vocalist and guitarist Paul Hopfensperger, bassist and backing singer Lee Jacobs, along with drummer Nigel Stemp, their sound drew clear inspiration from The Jam.

Career

Following the breakup of Phaze II in the mid-1970s—a band that featured David "Harry" Harris and Sean Oliver (who later joined Rip Rig + Panic and worked with Terence Trent D'Arby)—a then 15-year-old Hopfensperger formed The Teazers in 1978. He teamed up with childhood companion Nigel Stemp, aged 13, and fellow 15-year-old Lee Jacobs.

Gigs

Drawing influence from punk acts such as Dr. Feelgood, as well as iconic groups like The Beatles, The Who, and The Jam, The Teazers made their debut at a 'Rock Against Racism' event on 4 November 1978 held at Lansbury House, Bury St Edmunds. Their performance included a rendition of the Sex Pistols' Pretty Vacant. This concert was organized in support of Hopfensperger’s former bandmate Sean Oliver, who had been subjected to racial harassment.

The group rapidly cultivated a fanbase by playing at local spots such as The Griffin pub—popular with the Rockers crowd—in May 1979. One memorable show was delayed due to a malfunctioning amplifier belonging to Hopfensperger; this incident was covered by local media under the headline "Things went with a bang for the lads."

Consistent gigs at venues like The Centa and The Drummond Centre solidified their status within the community, with press reports in June 1979 positioning them as prominent figures in Bury’s emerging mod revival scene:

Rock Festival for a new Sports Centre

In 1980, a fire devastated the Bury St Edmunds Sports Centre. Both Hopfensperger and Stemp were competitive swimmers at the Suffolk County level and frequently used the centre's pool. To aid in its reconstruction, they joined forces with local bands such as Passion, Kashmir, Portland, Thumper, Tutch, David Harris, Rhesus Negative, and Midnight to stage an outdoor rock festival. Hopfensperger aspired to replace the damaged pool with an Olympic-sized 50-metre facility, upgrading from the previous length of 33⅓ metres. However, just over a month before this event, bassist Lee Jacobs departed to join Portland. Consequently, The Teazers did not participate in the concert held in the leisure centre car park. The original lineup never reunited for another performance thereafter.

Second line-up

Towards the end of 1980, Hopfensperger reformed the group with fresh talent: himself (aged 17), Andrew Leong-son on bass (aged 15), and Peter Hawtin handling drums and backing vocals (aged 14).

Break up and reformation

Although The Teazers never formally announced a split, their live performances halted after 1983 when bassist Andrew Leong-son departed to pursue university studies. The band reunited in May 2024 for a Mods Mayday Concert held at Cambridge Junction, featuring original members Paul Hopfensperger and Lee Jacobs alongside new drummer Simon Rutherford. This event showcased prominent 1970s mod bands including The Face, The Killermeters, The Chords, and Squire.

Singles

• The System (1981)
• Dreaming of You (1981)
• The Shape of Things to Come (1981)
• Alison (1982)

EPs

• Teenage Angst (1982) – initially issued as Life in The Modern World, available only on cassette
• Teenage Angst (2018) – released as a 12" vinyl EP
• Teenage Angst (2022) – accessible as a digital download across major streaming services

External links

• The Teazers at Discogs
• The Teazers on X (Twitter)
• The Teazers on Instagram
• The Teazers on Spotify