The lineup consisted of Chris Manecke (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Kevin Dolan (drums) and John Blake (bass).

They specialized in sparse, guitar-driven post-punk, though their most well-known song, "Smiling Monarchs", is alternative dance in the vein of New Order, and was in fact mixed by that band's guitar player and vocalist, Bernard Sumner.

"They Said Tomorrow" (from The Other Side of the Fence) appeared on Trance Port Tapes' L.A. Mantra II in 1984 and its Calypso Now reissue in 1985.

Abecedarians' single "Smiling Monarchs" appeared on more compilation albums than any of their other songs: Hardest Hits Volume Two (SPG Music, 1992); Voices In The Air (Wavestation, 1993); Too Young To Know, Too Wild To Care...1978–1992 The Factory Story Part One (London Records, 1997); and Auteur Labels: Factory Records 1984 (Les Temps Modernes, 2009).

"Benway's Carnival" appeared on Les Temps Modernes' 2010 Auteur Labels: Independent Project Records CD.