Ed Kuepper Park has officially opened in Brisbane

A Brisbane park has been officially named after Ed Kuepper, an influential musician best known for his work as the guitarist for Aussie punk icons The Saints.

Back in July, we reported on how Oxley resident Maurice Murphy began a petition for the local council to rename a Brisbane park after the esteemed musician. Following the successful campaign, which saw the support of 800 signatories, the local council approved the decision.

Ed Kuepper said at the time that he was flattered by the recognition, showing his pleasure at the fact that local musicians are gaining recognition. “When I was a kid, I liked being pointed towards where certain things happened,” he said. “A friend of mine was living across the road from Tony Worsley, who was a local hero, a 60s garage singer [with The Fabulous Blue Jays].”

“That kind of thing really impressed me. So yes, I do think it’s nice having little plaques around to point out that such and such a person did this at a certain place, or this incident happened here or there. Be it arts or history, I like it.”

Now, as The Guardian reports, Ed Kuepper Park has officially been opened, with the esteemed muso present for the honours.

Both Ed Kuepper and Maurice Murphy took to Twitter to express their pleasure at the opening of the park. “Over the last year or so I’ve run a small community campaign in Oxley to name a park after music icon and once local Ed Kuepper,” wrote Murphy. “Yesterday Ed’s park was unveiled by the man himself!”

Kuepper also echoed the statement, writing “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://twitter.com/mozmurphy/status/965013858745139200

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
— Ed Kuepper (@EdKuepper) February 18, 2018

Often considered one of music’s first punk bands, The Saints’ debut record, (I’m) Stranded, was released only a matter of months before the Ramones’ eponymous debut. The group was formed on Lawson Street, in the south-western Brisbane suburb of Oxley, where Kuepper was living at the time, and where he wrote all the tracks that featured on the group’s debut record.

The newly-renamed Ed Kuepper Park is located on the corner of Oxley Road and Lawson Street, where Kuepper’s parents still reside.

In related news, Ed Kuepper is set to head out on the road in a couple of weeks with his band The Aints, who will be performing the songs of The Saints from 1973-1978 in support of the group’s first new album since 1992.