Oxley musician Ed Kuepper received a great honour from the community after a park on Lawson Street was named after him. Now, he’s campaigning for this site to become a tourist spot and hopes that more people will visit and promote the location.
The founder of the Brisbane band, The Saints, said that the Ed Kuepper Park should be “known by everyone” around the world as it is a magnificent green space. He also believes that locals should venture around their own neighbourhood to “understand” Brisbane’s cultural history better.
It comes as he celebrates his 45th year in the music business with a series of shows around Queensland. Mr Kuepper has had a couple of successful shows in early June 2021 at The Triffed and the Imperial Hotel. In August, he’s set to perform at the Tanks Art Centre in Cairns and another venue in the Gold Coast.
Photo Credit: DJ Jane Grigg/Facebook
Mr Kuepper, who was born in Germany and moved to Brisbane as a child with his family, founded The Saints with Chris Bailey and Ivor Hay in the 1970s and mostly rehearsed and wrote songs at the Kuepper family’s garage. They released three albums under EMI Records before disbanding in 1978.
The musician then formed The Laughing Clowns immediately after The Saints and then established ’90s grunge band, The Aints. Mr Kuepper has also thrived as a successful solo artist.
In 2017, some 800 locals signed the petition, spearheaded by Oxley resident Maurice Murphy, to name the park on Lawson Street after Mr Kuepper.
During the dedication of Ed Kuepper Park, the musician said that he has always loved it when people would point out to him where “certain things happened” and he appreciated seeing little plaques bearing the history of significant sites.
Brisbane music legend The Saints continues to receive honour in Brisbane. In Oxley, a local park was renamed in honour of the band’s former member Ed Kuepper.
Oxley local Maurice Murphy petitioned for the park to be named after Kuepper. He made a petition that quickly garnered over 800 signatures. Thus, the Brisbane City Council approved the park’s name change.
Kuepper took to Twitter to thank Murphy and everyone who made the park renaming possible.
thanks Moz and everyone that supported this and help bring it to fruition …I’m both humbly flattered and honoured …thank you one and all.. now about that three story statue … https://t.co/LbIB1j7DUQ
After migrating from Germany at the age of four, Kuepper lived in Oxley and co-founded The Saints with singer Chris Bailey and drummer Ivor Hay in 1973. Their single (I’m) Stranded, along with the album of the same name in 1976, was recognised as a cornerstone of the punk movement. The band split in 1978 and Kuepper continued as a solo performer. He is currently touring under the name The Aints.
This wasn’t the only move made to honour The Saints. Back in 2017, John Willsteed, best known for his stint as bassist of The Go-Betweens, sought state government funding to mark the band’s second rehearsal place.
A similar honour had been made for The Go-Betweens via the Go Between Bridge linking South Brisbane and Milton. Willsteed believed it was time for The Saints to receive the same honour.
Willsteed succeeded in seeking to honour The Saints and a mural was unveiled along Upper Roma Street in December 2017 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band’s iconic debut album, (I’m) Stranded.
Ed Kuepper at The Saints mural unveiling on Roma Street, Brisbane. (Photo credit: QUT Creative Industries/Facebook)
Keupper was at the unveiling of the mural to witness the impact of his band’s music 40 years later.
