Club Wow

Club Wow was an American rock and power pop band from Cleveland, Ohio, active between 1982 and 1985. The group featured guitarist Jimmy Zero of the Dead Boys, bassist Frank Secich of Blue Ash, guitarist Billy Sullivan, and drummer Jeff West. Although the band performed select shows around Cleveland and Youngstown, they spent most of their time writing and recording material that would remain largely unreleased until decades later.

History

Club Wow formed on January 1, 1982, when Jimmy Zero recruited Frank Secich for a new project with guitarist Billy Sullivan and drummer Jeff West.<ref> Blue Ash – Interview with Frank Secich, Psychedelic Baby Magazine, 2023. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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The band performed intermittently, averaging about one gig per month. One known early appearance was a slot at the Cleveland Agora in 1982.<ref> Club Wow – Live at the Cleveland Agora (1982), Facebook. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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Between 1982 and 1985, the group recorded an estimated 20 to 28 songs, though only a single was issued during their original run. The rest of the material remained unreleased until the 2015 retrospective album assembled from surviving tapes.<ref> Club Wow – Nowhere Fast Review, Hear A Single, 2017. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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Club Wow disbanded around 1985.

Discography

Singles

• Prettiest Girl / The Nights Are So Long (1982) – 7″ single.<ref>

Club Wow – Prettiest Girl / The Nights Are So Long, Discogs. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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Compilations

• Nowhere Fast: A Retrospective 1982–1985 (2015, Zero Hour Records) – CD/DVD collecting studio

recordings and live material.<ref> Club Wow – Nowhere Fast: A Retrospective 1982–1985, Discogs. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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Members

• Jimmy Zero – guitar, vocals<ref>

Club Wow – Credits, Discogs. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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• Frank Secich – bass, vocals<ref>

Frank Secich, Wikipedia. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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• Billy Sullivan – guitar, vocals<ref>

Billy Sullivan Biography, BillySullivan.com. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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• Jeff West – drums<ref>

Club Wow – Nowhere Fast Review, Hear A Single, 2017. Retrieved 2025-02-15.

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Legacy

Club Wow remains a notable entry in Ohio’s underground rock history due to its connection with two of the region’s most influential musicians—Jimmy Zero and Frank Secich. Their recordings, especially the 2015 retrospective, have since become valued among collectors of Midwest power pop, Cleveland punk, and regional archival releases.

References

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