The Rockin' Vickers were an English rock and roll band from Blackpool, active from 1963 to 1968. They toured the UK and continental Europe and released four singles during their existence. The band is however best-remembered for launching the career of Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister of Motörhead, then known as Ian Willis.
They were originally called Rev Black and the Rockin' Vicars, then abbreviated it to the Rockin' Vicars, but to get more gigs or even a chance at a record contract, they changed their name to "Rockin' Vickers". Their last single "Dandy", a cover of the Kinks song, was produced by Shel Talmy.
Formed in 1963, the band built their reputation as did many other beat groups of the era, by covering R&B and beat standards, but soon became known for their unusually intense live shows and outlandish stage costumes, dressing as vicars and Sami. Although mainly popular as a local act around Blackpool, England, the Vicars also toured mainland Europe, being one of the earliest British rock bands to perform in a communist state, when they played in Yugoslavia in the summer of 1965.[1] They were particularly popular in Finland, where they recorded a single, a rocked up version of Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart. They released four singles. The band split in 1968.[2] Lemmy played guitar with the band (as he would with the next group that he joined, Sam Gopal) and did not take up the bass guitar until he joined Hawkwind in 1971.
In 1967, expatriate Blackpool musician Dave Rossall (ex-Bruce & the Spiders), carrying on the tradition of the English band, formed his own Australian band called Rev Black and the Rockin' Vicars (1967–1969). The Australian band went on to release four singles in its own right, toured extensively around Australia and made the Brisbane Top 40.
"Stella" b/w "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart", 1966, Ireland
"It's Alright (Townshend)" b/w "Stay By Me", CBS 202051, March 1966, UK
"Dandy (Davies)" b/w "I Don't Need Your Kind", CBS 202241, October 1966, UK
"Dandy (Davies)" b/w "I Don't Need Your Kind", Columbia 4-43818 1966, U.S.
Compilation albumedit
Its Alright: The Complete Rockin' Vickers, RPM CD196 1995, UK
I Go Ape/ Someone Like Me/ Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart/ Stella/ It's Alright/ Stay By Me/ Dandy/ I Don't Need Your Kind Of Love/ Baby Never Say Goodbye/ I Just Stand There/ Say Mama/ Shake Rattle & Roll/ What's the Matter Jane?/ Little Rosy (Ray Davies) (+ rehearsal extract)
The Australian Rev Black & The Rockin' Vicars website
April 11, 2024
rockin, vickers, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, october, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Rockin Vickers news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Rockin Vickers were an English rock and roll band from Blackpool active from 1963 to 1968 They toured the UK and continental Europe and released four singles during their existence The band is however best remembered for launching the career of Ian Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead then known as Ian Willis The Rockin VickersAlso known asRev Black and the Rockin VicarsOriginBlackpool Lancashire EnglandGenresRock rhythm and blues beatYears active1963 1968LabelsDecca CBS RPMMembers See members below They were originally called Rev Black and the Rockin Vicars then abbreviated it to the Rockin Vicars but to get more gigs or even a chance at a record contract they changed their name to Rockin Vickers Their last single Dandy a cover of the Kinks song was produced by Shel Talmy Contents 1 History 2 Members 3 Discography 3 1 Singles 3 2 Compilation album 4 References 5 External linksHistory editFormed in 1963 the band built their reputation as did many other beat groups of the era by covering R amp B and beat standards but soon became known for their unusually intense live shows and outlandish stage costumes dressing as vicars and Sami Although mainly popular as a local act around Blackpool England the Vicars also toured mainland Europe being one of the earliest British rock bands to perform in a communist state when they played in Yugoslavia in the summer of 1965 1 They were particularly popular in Finland where they recorded a single a rocked up version of Zing Went the Strings of My Heart They released four singles The band split in 1968 2 Lemmy played guitar with the band as he would with the next group that he joined Sam Gopal and did not take up the bass guitar until he joined Hawkwind in 1971 In 1967 expatriate Blackpool musician Dave Rossall ex Bruce amp the Spiders carrying on the tradition of the English band formed his own Australian band called Rev Black and the Rockin Vicars 1967 1969 The Australian band went on to release four singles in its own right toured extensively around Australia and made the Brisbane Top 40 Members edit1963 1964 1964 1965 1965 1967Harry Reverend Black Feeney vocals Ken Hardacre guitar Alex Hamilton guitar Peter Moorhouse bass Cyril Ciggy Shaw drums Harry Reverend Black Feeney vocals Nicholas Gribbon guitar Ian Holdbrook guitar harmonica Stephen Mogsy Morris bass Cyril Ciggy Shaw drums Harry Reverend Black Feeney vocals Ian Lemmy Kilmister guitar Garry Chamberlain guitar Stephen Mogsy Morris bass Cyril Ciggy Shaw drumsDiscography editSingles edit I Go Ape b w Someone Like You Decca F 11993 1964 UK Stella b w Zing Went the Strings of My Heart Decca SD5662 1965 Finland Stella b w Zing Went the Strings of My Heart 1966 Ireland It s Alright Townshend b w Stay By Me CBS 202051 March 1966 UK Dandy Davies b w I Don t Need Your Kind CBS 202241 October 1966 UK Dandy Davies b w I Don t Need Your Kind Columbia 4 43818 1966 U S Compilation album edit Its Alright The Complete Rockin Vickers RPM CD196 1995 UKI Go Ape Someone Like Me Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart Stella It s Alright Stay By Me Dandy I Don t Need Your Kind Of Love Baby Never Say Goodbye I Just Stand There Say Mama Shake Rattle amp Roll What s the Matter Jane Little Rosy Ray Davies rehearsal extract References edit Interview with Lemmy Kilmister rOCKIN vICKERS DISCOGRAPHY ON DISCOGS COMExternal links editThe Australian Rev Black amp The Rockin Vicars website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Rockin 27 Vickers amp oldid 1121314542, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
