Essential Bop were an English, Bristol-based post-punk/art band, formed in early 1978 by Dave Robinson (who had played bass with Champion Jack Dupree and Joe Cocker), with an initial line-up of Steve Bush (singer, originally in The Biros), Mike Fewings (guitar, from The Cortinas and Colortapes), Simon Tyler (keyboards, from Dragon Sandwich), Nick Tufnell (drums) and Seng-gye Tombs Curtis (‘visualist’).
The single received some notice in the New York independent charts and resulted in a US east coast tour in the summer of 1981; however the band split after their return.
Gerard Langley of The Blue Aeroplanes has a long history of producing, performing and writing with Steve Bush, ever since their initial group The Biros.
In 1984, Steve Bush and Simon Tyler reformed the band in London with Mike Fewings on bass and Martin Kiernan on drums, and subsequently released their debut LP on TSAR, The Flick Was Boss.
Stephen Street was also responsible for assigning Andrew Paresi as the drummer for A Pair of Blue Eyes, who became a part of Morrissey's first solo band shortly afterwards.