With
a career lasting thirty-three years, vocalist/guitarist
IAN "KNOX" CARNOCHAN, bassist PAT COLLIER,
guitarist JOHN ELLIS and drummer EDDIE originally formed
the VIBRATORS in February 1976, and their first gig
was supporting THE STRANGLERS at Hornsey Art College
in North London. They supported THE SEX PISTOLS at the
100 CLUB and were one of the bands playing at the now
legendary 100 CLUB PUNK ROCK FESTIVAL, where as well
as doing their own set they supported guitar hero CHRIS
SPEDDING. CHRIS recommended the band to his then record
company, RAK. The band's debut single "WE VIBRATE"
came out in November (one of the first punk singles)
and was followed two weeks later by CHRIS SPEDDING'S
"POGO DANCING" single with the VIBRATORS as
the band on that.
Early
in 1977 the band supported IGGY POP (with DAVID BOWIE
on keyboards) on a UK tour, then moved to EPIC RECORDS
and released the classic "BABY BABY" single,
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 and was replaced by GARY TIBBS.
The band released 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/saxophonist
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 followed 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
carried 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 COLLIER'S 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 (to become 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).
|
1990
lineup (left to right) Mark Duncan (bass), Eddie
(drums), Knox (guitar/vocals), Nigel Bennett
(guitar)
|
In 1996, in their twentieth year, they started with
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 that year they had
become a three-piece (KNOX, NICK, and EDDIE). The
band recorded the albums "FRENCH LESSONS WITH
CORRECTION!" (1997) and "BUZZIN'" (1999).
with the band doing extensive touring, (almost 100
gigs in 1999), plus
the release of many albums. NICK PECKHAM (bass) left
in Sepatember 1999 and was replaced by ROBBIE TART
(ex- HEARTBREAK ANGELS). In 2002 the band released
a new compilation of the first two albums the band
recorded, closely followed by a new studio album ENERGIZE,
both on Ian Grant's TRACK RECORDS.
In
September 2003 ROBBIE TART left and was replaced by
PETE from Finnish band NO DIRECTION, and the band
toured the UK and Europe with the
UK Subs.
In 2005 the band released the LIVE ENERGIZE CBGB'S 2004 DVD and early the following year released a '77 punk covers album PUNK: THE EARLY YEARS. Early in 2008 Knox had an accident and was not able to return to the band for 14 months, so an earlier Vibrators' guitarist NIGEL BENNETT (EX-MEMBERS/VIBRATORS) was brought in and the band continued with most songs being sung by Pete the bass player. Early in 2009 they released GARAGE PUNK, a compilation of mainly '60s garage tracks. Knox rejoined the band in August, and they released UNDER THE RADAR, a studio album containing 14 new songs at the end of November 2009. In March 2010 they returned to being a three-piece: Knox (guitar/vocals), Pete (bass) and Eddie (drums).
In
their long career the VIBRATORS have toured with the
likes of IGGY POP (with DAVID BOWIE on keyboards), IAN HUNTER, THE FLAMING GROOVIES,
DIE TOTEN HOSEN, and have had their songs covered by
THE EXPLOITED, UK SUBS, GBH, REM, DIE TOTEN HOSEN,
to name but a few. Now in 2011 the band celebrate
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS of making records and touring heavily, in 2010 the band did more than 130 gigs.
Get ready for many more years of PURE MANIA!