Effective period / Period of releases: 2011 - 2022

Members: Thomas Scandura, Steve Lew, Bill Wolter, Moe Staiano, Mark Pino, Melne Murphy, H.L. Nelly

Staiano originally created Surplus 1980 as a studio-only collaboration, with the goal to further a musical journey begun with Staiano's previous no-wave instrumental group, Mute Socialite. The debut 'Relapse In Response' album, featured Moe playing most of the instruments himself on studio recordings with other noteworthy stable of musical collaborators including Carla Kihlstedt, Matthias Bossi, and Dan Rathbun (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), guitarist Ava Mendoza (Mute Socialite, Unnatural Ways), violinist Meredith Yayanos (Faun Fables), and cameo appearances from Andy Moor (the Ex), G.W. Sok (the Ex, King Champion Sounds), vocalist Jesse Quattro and clarinetist Aaron Novik.

Moe assembled a live configuration of the band in 2011 with guitarist Bill Wolter (Inner Ear Brigade), and drummer Thomas Scandura (the Molecules). Guitarist Melne Murphy (a one-time member of Têtes Noires) joined as second guitarist and vocals by the band's second performance. Prior to the release of the mini-album, 'Arterial Ends Here' in 2013, the line up soon coalesced with the addition of bassist Steve Lew (Eskimo), and keyboardist Amanda Chaudhary (Reconnaisance Fly) to which around November/December of 2012 was the first proper and stable line-up of Surplus 1980, which lasted until the summer of 2015, but yielded no studio work. Scandura and Chaudhary exited in 2015, and Lew at the end of 2016. Later members included Mark Pino (Birdsaw) on drums, HL Nelly (Naked Lights) on bass and vocals (both of whom recorded on Surplus 1980's 2019 release, Pigeon Obstacle Course), and Tom Ferguson (Brasil) on bass and vocals.

They have recorded a collaboration with current and past members of Surplus 1980 with vocal/lyric contributions from G.W. Sok under the name Surplus 1980 Collectiv Ensembl With G.W. Sok (which they have released one album in 2019), showing that Surplus 1980 is interested in branching out and exploring other avenues of music mediums. They are currently on a line-up shift and completed a new album throughout the pandemic in 2020/2021 with the core line-up being Staiano/Murphy/Wolter until a full line-up can be realized and completed. However, Bill left at the beginning of 2022, with Ian following later that year, leaving Surplus as a duo.