Nick Lightowlers (1955 – 26 February 2022) was a British performer, lyricist, producer, and music industry professional better known to many by his stage name Nick Tesco, the lead singer of the Members.^[1]

As a founding member and co-songwriter of the Members, Tesco fronted the band from 1976 until his departure and the subsequent split of the band in 1983.^[2] The Members, from Camberley, Surrey, signed with Virgin Records at the tail-end of punk in 1978 and had a No. 12 hit with the single "The Sound of the Suburbs". Co-written by Tesco and Jean-Marie Carroll, the single reportedly sold 250,000 copies and went on to become a staple of punk compilations.^{[citation needed]}

After leaving the band, Tesco co-performed and released the 1983 single "Cost of Living" for UK based independent label Albion Records with J. Walter Negro.^[3]

Albion Records was a label he had previously worked for as a producer (the 1981 Outpatients single "New Japanese Hairstyles") and it was as a producer that he continued to work for the remainder of the decade – extensively for CBS, but also East West, WEA and Ariola.^{[citation needed]}

In 1989, he appeared in Leningrad Cowboys Go America, written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki, a film about a fictional Russian rock band touring the US. This fictional band then toured and recorded in real life from 1990 until 1994.^{[citation needed]} Leningrad Cowboys Go America was followed five years later by a sequel, Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1994) and a concert film Total Balalaika Show (1994).^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, he joined Music Week and produced the Music Week Directory from 1999 until 2009^[4] He appeared on BBC 6's Roundtable.^[5] He also appeared in other films such as Iron Horsemen and I Hired a Contract Killer.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, the Members reformed and toured the UK.^[6]

Lightowlers died aged 67 on 26 February 2022.^[7]

• Nick (Nicky) Tesco biographical videos.
• Nicky Tesco filmography
• Nick Tesco music review blog.