The Vibrators made their debut on Epic
with the classic "Baby Baby" single, which was followed by their
first album "Pure Mania" which spent five weeks in the UK Top 75,
peaking at number 49. A second single from the album - but a live version
- "London Girls", came out in the summer of 1977 and was promoted
by a tour supporting ex-Mott The Hoople mainman Ian Hunter. Bassist Pat Collier
left soon after to form power pop band The Boyfriends, and was replaced by
Gary Tibbs. The band's next release was the single "Automatic Lover" (March
1978), which not only reached 35 in the charts but also got the band on Top
Of The Pops. A second LP, "V2" was released in April and reached
number 33 in the British Charts, and is still regarded today as one of New
Waves finest moments.
John Ellis left soon after to follow a solo career
and to work with Peter Gabriel, and was replaced by Dave Birch, whilst
a fifth member was added with keyboard/saxophanist Don Snow. However
this line up of the band only recorded the "Judy Says (Knock
You In The Head)" single (a UK No 70 single in the summer of
1978). There then follwed a new line up of the band: Knox - guitar/vocals,
Eddie - drums, with new members Ben Brierly - bass and Greg Van Cook
- guitar. This again proved to be short lived and Knox left to have
a go at being a solo artist towards the end of 1978.
Eddie struggled on with the band, as well as drumming
for
The Inmates (an R&B band).
In early 1980 a more successful line up : Kip - vocals, Eddie - drums,
Ian Woodcock (ex-Eater) - bass, Phil Ram - guitar, Adrian Wyatt -
guitar, signed to Rat Race Records. They released two singles "Gimme
Some Lovin'" and "Disco In Mosco", but the band split
up at the end of the year.
The original line up reformed in mid 1982 (Knox,
Eddie, Pat Collier and John Ellis) and signed to Anagram Records,
releasing a new version of "Baby Baby". This was followed
by a single and album both called "Guilty" before the band
moved to Ram Records, releasing the singles "MX America" and "Flying
Home" and the LP "Alaska 127" (named after Pat Colliers
studio). By mid 1985 the band had signed to Carrere Records for whom
they recorded the "Baby Blue Eyes" single before moving
back to Ram for the "Fifth Amendment" LP and "Blown
Away By Love" single.
By the time the band signed to FM Revolver in mid
1986, Pat Collier had left to pursue a successful career producing
bands, and was replaced by Noel Thompson for the "Vibrators
Live" LP. John Ellis then left (and is now a full-time member
of the Stranglers) and was replaced by Mickie Owen, and Noel Thompson
left and was replaced by Mark Duncan. The new line up released the "Recharged" album,
the "String Him Along" single and also the 1988's "Meltdown" album.
Mickie Owen left and was replaced by Nigel Bennett (ex-Members) for
the 1990's "Vicious Circle" LP. This line up of the Vibrators,
toured regularly, and released a string of albums: "Volume Ten" (1990), "The
Power Of Money" (a re-make compilation, 1993), "Hunting
For You" (1994), and "Unpunked" (an acoustic compilation
album, 1996). This last one being released on their own label, Vibrators
Records.
1
996, the band's twentieth year, saw a new line up: Knox -
guitar / vocals, Eddie - drums, with newcomers Darrell Bath (ex-UK Subs, Crybabies,
Dogs D'Amour) - guitar, and Nick Peckham (ex-Big Boy Tomato) - bass, but by
June had decided to switch to playing as a three-piece (Knox, Nick and Eddie).
The band recorded "French Lessons With Correction!" (1997)
and "Buzzin'" (1999), and continues to do live work, with Robbie
Tart replacing Nick Peckham on bass in September 1999.
Who's to say we won't see another twenty-one years
of Pure Mania!
