after briefly playing guitar with the scavengers for a couple of gigs in 1978, stiggs and fellow suburban reptile bones hillman joined split enz founder phil judd — a former schoolmate at hastings boys' — in a new three-piece band, the swingers. the swingers found quick success, and hit the charts with two singles, "one good reason" (1980) and "counting the beat" (1981). the latter reached the top of the charts in both new zealand and australia.