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Biography
Two other uses||the police sub-department|Vice unit|the 1982 film|Vice Squad (film)Infobox musical artist| name = Vice Squad| image =Vice Squad - 20051002.jpg| caption =| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Bristol , England | genre = Punk rock|Punk , street punk | years_active = 1978–1985, 1997–present| label = Heartbeat Records (Bristol)|Heartbeat , Riot City Records|Riot City , EMI , Anagram Records|Anagram , SOS Records|SOS , Sudden Death Records|Sudden Death , Rhythm Vicar Records|Rhythm Vicar , Last Rockers| associated_acts = Beki & the Bombshells, Ligotage, Chaotic Dischord , Sweet Revenge| website = http://www.vicesquad.co.uk/ www.vicesquad.co.uk| current_members = Beki Bondage Paul Rooney Wayne Firefly Kev Taylor | past_members = Original band: Dave Bateman Mark Hambly Shane Baldwin Lia Mark "Sooty" Byrne John Chilcott
New band: Michael Giaquinto Wayne Cotton
Tony Piper Vice Squad is a punk band formed in 1978 in Bristol, England . The band formed from two other local punk bands, The Contingent and TV Brakes. Songwriter and vocalist Beki Bondage (born Rebecca LouiseBond ) was a founding member and is currently with the band, although there was a period of time when the band had a different vocalist. She is often cited as being the first punk pin-up featured on the front cover of a number of influential music tabloids such as Melody Maker , NME , and Smash Hits .
History
Original band
Vice Squad formed in 1978 with an initial line-up of Beki Bondage (vocals), Dave Bateman (guitar), Mark Hambly (bass), and Shane Baldwin (drums), and played their first gig at Bristol University 's Anson Rooms on 12 April 1979.cite book |last=Glasper |first=Ian |title= Burning Britain: The History of Punk 1980-1984 |year=2004 |month= |publisher=Cherry Red Books |isbn=1-901447-24-3 |pages= Bateman and Baldwin had previously been members of the TV Brakes. The first release by the band was the track "Nothing", which was included on the 1979 compilation Avon Calling . Members of the band were involved in setting up the Riot City Records|Riot City label with Simon Edwards, the label becoming one of the major punk labels of the era. The band took some time to make further impact, only playing six gigs in 1980, but 1981's debut single "Last Rockers" was well-received, selling over 20,000 copies and spending almost forty weeks in the UK Indie Chart , reaching number 7. The follow-up, "Resurrection", reached number 4, and the band undertook a tour supporting UK Subs . The singles received airplay and support from BBC Radio 1 Disc jockey|DJ John Peel , and they would go on to record two sessions for his show, in 1981 and 1982.cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/v/vicesquad/ |title=BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - Vice Squad |accessdate=29 March 2008 |author= |year= |month= |work=Keeping It Peel |publisher= BBC |quote=
In 1981 the band signed with major label EMI (their Zonophone subsidiary), prompting criticism from many within the DIY punk scene.cite book |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |title=The Great Alternative & Indie Discography |year= 1999 |publisher=Canongate |isbn=0-86241-913-1 Their debut album, No Cause For Concern , was released in late 1981, reaching number 32 in the UK Album Chart . A second album followed in 1982, and the band embarked on a tour of the United States and Canada . On returning from the US, Bondage announced that she was leaving the band. She went on to front Ligotage and later Beki and the Bombshells , and without her, Vice Squad were dropped by EMI. The band carried on, however, replacing Bondage with a new singer called Lia (who was previously known as Jools and had been the singer for local band Affairs of the Heart). The new line-up, also including the band's manager Mark "Sooty" Byrne on second guitar, signed with Anagram Records , and recorded a session for David Jensen 's BBC radio show. Indie hits continued with singles such as "Black Sheep" and "You'll Never Know", but sales began to dwindle, and the band split up in 1985. Dave Bateman died in 2007.
New band
Bondage formed a new version of Vice Squad in 1997, along with former members of The Bombshells, after being persuaded to perform the old material at the Holidays In The Sun festival. The line-up was initially Bondage on vocals, Paul Rooney (guitar), 'Stilton' (bass), and 'Pumpy' (drums). The rhythm section was replaced by Michael Giaquinto (bass) and Tony Piper (drums) in late 1999/early 2000. This new line-up has recorded several albums and they continue to tour Europe and the United States. In 2006, they released the album Defiant (album)|Defiant , produced by guitarist Rooney.
New Album
2008 was spent recording the album, " Fairground For The Demented " which was shelved as the band decided the finished collection of songs did not represent the 'Old School' punk sound that the band wanted to achieve. This collection of songs is currently released in digital form with retailers such as iTunes and Napster . The gritty punk style was eventually realized in 2009 when Vice Squad released the "London Underground" album which was co-produced by Bond and Rooney. Released on their own "Last Rockers Label" London Underground has received rave reviews on website " Studs And Punks " and songs such as "Punx United", "Old Skool" and "Sniffing Glue" form a major part of the bands live show.
2009 also saw Vice Squad's return to America on an 18 date tour of the western states promoting London Underground with American drummer Nick Manning and support from The Lower Class Brats http://www.punknews.org/article/33524 http://ukpunk.blogspot.com/
Discography
Singles
"Last Rockers" (1980) Riot City Records|Riot City (UK Indie #7)cite book |last=Lazell |first=Barry |title=Indie Hits 1980-1999 |year= 1997 |publisher=Cherry Red Books |isbn=0-9517206-9-4
Rich and Famous (Vice Squad album)|Rich and Famous (2003) EMI
Defiant (album)|Defiant (2006) SOS Records|SOS
Unreleased 2008 (2009) Last Rockers
London Underground (album)|London Underground (2009) Last Rockers
Live albums
Live in Sheffield (1981) Chaos Tapes Cat: Live003 - cassette only release - limited edition of 3000
Track Listing: A Side: Resurrection / We're Still Dying / Coward / Young Blood. B Side: The Times They Are A Changing / 1981 / Change The Record / Saturday Night Special / Sell Out.
Live and Loud!! (1988) Link
Compilation albums
Last Rockers - The Singles (1992) Abstract
The Punk Singles Collection (1995) Anagram
The BBC Sessions (1997) Anagram
The Rarities (1999) Captain Oi& #33; Records|Captain Oi!
The Very Best Of (2000) Anagram
Bang to Rights: The Essential Vice Squad Collection (2001) EMI
