The Professors were formed in 1978 and were part of a booming inner Sydney scene that developed following the departure of temporary residents The Saints and homegrown Radio Birdman. They took their name from singer, Stephen Vineburg’s friendship with Chris Bailey of The Saints.
Vineberg - was name-checked by their friend, Saints vocalist Chris Bailey, in the lyuics of "Know Your Product" ("Where's the Professor?/We need him now").
The Professors were a prime example of the DIY ethos. They were largely self taught and established a successful music venue at the corner pub: The Royal Oak Hotel in Chippendale. They also played at most of the popular venues in Sydney including The Civic Hotel, the Rex Hotel, Paddington Town Hall and Henderson Road.
In 1978 the band recorded some demo tapes in a terrace house in Darlinghurst with a view to releasing a recording. Shortly afterwards Vineburg left the group and these recordings were never released. The original tapes were lost and all that remained was a cassette copy made at the same time. The tape was subsequently digitally converted by Bruce Callaway (The Saints, Ed Kuepper).
In 2018, Vineburg took the 40-year-old cassette recording, and with the assistance of sound engineer and musician, Barry McGurk, digitally enhanced the tape into the recording on this record.
Their posthumous single "Go Out Tonight" b/w "F4" was issued on Buttercup Records last year and what remains of the hand-numbered edition are in very short supply,
The Professors will reform for one night only on Sunday, May 5 at Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney, within splitting distance of their old Taylor Square '70s hang-outs.
They'll be supported by Bob Short and The Light Brigade (headed by the ex-Filth guitarist) with special guests, Joeys Coop featuring Bret Myers (Died Pretty) and Mark Roxburgh (Decline of The Reptiles) and archetypal garage rockers The Conspirators. Admission is jusy $10 from 7pm. All remaining stock of the single, plus special digital download copies (with picture cover), will be on sale at the show.
