We caught up with Knox, one of the bands founding members, after the gig at Champions, Bournemouth on 12/11/2009 and at Talking Heads in Southampton on 18/12/2009. Knox left The Vibrators in 2011 to pursue a solo career but the band still continue to tour with Eddie on drums, Nigel Bennett on guitar and Pete taking over the vocal duties and playing bass.
What follows below is heavily edited from the interviews which appeared on a DVD we put together for the band -- part of which you can see at the bottom of the page.
How did you feel being included in the original "Punk" scene?
Well, actually it was quite good. It was quite a small scene, you only really met the other bands when you were working with them. We were doing a lot of work, up the country, people chucking stuff at us. Luckily, we never really got hurt. I got hit behind the ear once by a can of beer or something. Very nasty people out there some nights.
In 1977 the band released their debut album, "Pure Mania" and followed it just one year later with "V2" which, boasting the songs "Automatic Lover" and "Troops of Tomorrow", is still regarded as one of New Waves finest moments. Describing this part of the bands history as "...manic. One minute we’re just rehearsing in garages and then the next thing you’re playing bigger places and on Top of the Pops" a number of line up changes and record company switches saw the bands hard work beginning to unravel.
So, with all the problems arising, did you feel like packing it in?
No, I never thought I’d pack it in. The band, to me, had the wrong people in it and everything was going wrong. I started doing solo stuff and sometimes it was quite good. I was doing Urban Dogs with Charlie (Harper of U.K. Subs). And Hanoi Rocks, I was doing the Fallen Angels Stuff. I think the Fallen Angels album is a very good album, they played so well. They were very nice those guys. If The Vibrators hadn’t come back together I think I’d still be out there doing something.
How do you think the albums at that time stand up compared to your other material?
Well, when we did Alaska 127, the band reformed and Pat (Collier—bass) was going, "let’s just knock a load of songs together and put it out". Then John Ellis (guitar) was going you can’t be writing all the songs. So it got down to like everyone had an equal share of writing songs. So John had more songs on there, but I’m not sure that’s a particularly good album. But anyway, that’s the past.
Pat left in 1986, was that a shock?
No, not really, because he left before when we got Gary Tibbs in. He said he wasn’t really up for doing it. He was very busy with his studio and he couldn't really do the touring. He’s a very good songwriter, but he’s not interested in writing songs anymore. But maybe we’ll ask if he’ll write a song for us.
A number of guitarists and bass players came and went, with guitarist Nigel (Bennett — ex-Members) joining for several years in the early 1990’s. Then in June 1996 the band became a three piece with Knox taking over all guitar duties. When Robbie Tart left in September 2003 current bass player Pete Honkamaki was recruited.
How did you get Pete in the band?
Our old bass player said he couldn’t keep doing it as he needed to earn some money. Pete had been driving the U.K. Subs, and playing in them, just temporarily. He had supported us with his band from Finland, No Direction. Eddie suggested it so we got him along. He’s very good, very enthusiastic, a sort of party animal. So Eddie and I can go to bed and leave him to it. It’ll probably kill him in the end!
The line up of Knox, Eddie and Pete kept going until 2008 when Knox suffered from both a shoulder injury and heart problems resulting in his absence from the band for over a year. The band continued gigging with Pete singing and Nigel returning to the fold once again to play the guitar parts.
Then, in November 2009, the band which now consisted of Knox, Eddie, Pete and Nigel released their 15th studio album, "Under The Radar" on the Captain Oi! label. Produced by their ex-bass player Pat Collier, songs such as "We’re The Dead" and the title track are strong enough to remain in their live set for a good time to come.
You’ve got 14 tracks on the album, how many songs did you take with you into the studio?
I probably had about 30 songs I took, and then they go "No, we don’t like that". They don’t always get what I’m doing (but) often they’ll produce brilliant stuff. They’re good musicians.
How long did it take to record the album?
Only about 6 days. I would have liked to develop the songs a bit more, you know, do it over a month. But there’s a limited budget. I think it’s came out pretty good but in the back of my mind I’m going, "If I had a bit more money..."
What’s the song you’re most proud of on the album?
I like "We’re The Dead". I think it’s a fun song about being dead and zombie stuff. That other one, "How Beautiful You Are" is actually a very nice song. I like those two.
How are your new songs being accepted by the live audiences?
The new songs are good songs, but the audience, if they don’t know them, they can’t really get into them. It’s quite good to do new songs, we’re doing three (Under the Radar, We’re The Dead & Free Spirit), but they seem to be very receptive.
Where would you say you’re most popular?
Germany is very good. America is very good, you get these all ages shows where these 16 year olds are going completely mental. At the biggest shows, when we’re out with the Subs, you get 1000 people or something.
One final question, what are your favourite Vibrators albums?
I like the 1st one because it’s sort of, even now, very unusual and the sound because we had no proper producer on it. I think some of the other albums are very good but there’s something about that album that its got a sort of magic about it.
What follows below is heavily edited from the interviews which appeared on a DVD we put together for the band -- part of which you can see at the bottom of the page.
How did you feel being included in the original "Punk" scene?
Well, actually it was quite good. It was quite a small scene, you only really met the other bands when you were working with them. We were doing a lot of work, up the country, people chucking stuff at us. Luckily, we never really got hurt. I got hit behind the ear once by a can of beer or something. Very nasty people out there some nights.
In 1977 the band released their debut album, "Pure Mania" and followed it just one year later with "V2" which, boasting the songs "Automatic Lover" and "Troops of Tomorrow", is still regarded as one of New Waves finest moments. Describing this part of the bands history as "...manic. One minute we’re just rehearsing in garages and then the next thing you’re playing bigger places and on Top of the Pops" a number of line up changes and record company switches saw the bands hard work beginning to unravel.
So, with all the problems arising, did you feel like packing it in?
No, I never thought I’d pack it in. The band, to me, had the wrong people in it and everything was going wrong. I started doing solo stuff and sometimes it was quite good. I was doing Urban Dogs with Charlie (Harper of U.K. Subs). And Hanoi Rocks, I was doing the Fallen Angels Stuff. I think the Fallen Angels album is a very good album, they played so well. They were very nice those guys. If The Vibrators hadn’t come back together I think I’d still be out there doing something.
How do you think the albums at that time stand up compared to your other material?
Well, when we did Alaska 127, the band reformed and Pat (Collier—bass) was going, "let’s just knock a load of songs together and put it out". Then John Ellis (guitar) was going you can’t be writing all the songs. So it got down to like everyone had an equal share of writing songs. So John had more songs on there, but I’m not sure that’s a particularly good album. But anyway, that’s the past.
Pat left in 1986, was that a shock?
No, not really, because he left before when we got Gary Tibbs in. He said he wasn’t really up for doing it. He was very busy with his studio and he couldn't really do the touring. He’s a very good songwriter, but he’s not interested in writing songs anymore. But maybe we’ll ask if he’ll write a song for us.
A number of guitarists and bass players came and went, with guitarist Nigel (Bennett — ex-Members) joining for several years in the early 1990’s. Then in June 1996 the band became a three piece with Knox taking over all guitar duties. When Robbie Tart left in September 2003 current bass player Pete Honkamaki was recruited.
How did you get Pete in the band?
Our old bass player said he couldn’t keep doing it as he needed to earn some money. Pete had been driving the U.K. Subs, and playing in them, just temporarily. He had supported us with his band from Finland, No Direction. Eddie suggested it so we got him along. He’s very good, very enthusiastic, a sort of party animal. So Eddie and I can go to bed and leave him to it. It’ll probably kill him in the end!
The line up of Knox, Eddie and Pete kept going until 2008 when Knox suffered from both a shoulder injury and heart problems resulting in his absence from the band for over a year. The band continued gigging with Pete singing and Nigel returning to the fold once again to play the guitar parts.
Then, in November 2009, the band which now consisted of Knox, Eddie, Pete and Nigel released their 15th studio album, "Under The Radar" on the Captain Oi! label. Produced by their ex-bass player Pat Collier, songs such as "We’re The Dead" and the title track are strong enough to remain in their live set for a good time to come.
You’ve got 14 tracks on the album, how many songs did you take with you into the studio?
I probably had about 30 songs I took, and then they go "No, we don’t like that". They don’t always get what I’m doing (but) often they’ll produce brilliant stuff. They’re good musicians.
How long did it take to record the album?
Only about 6 days. I would have liked to develop the songs a bit more, you know, do it over a month. But there’s a limited budget. I think it’s came out pretty good but in the back of my mind I’m going, "If I had a bit more money..."
What’s the song you’re most proud of on the album?
I like "We’re The Dead". I think it’s a fun song about being dead and zombie stuff. That other one, "How Beautiful You Are" is actually a very nice song. I like those two.
How are your new songs being accepted by the live audiences?
The new songs are good songs, but the audience, if they don’t know them, they can’t really get into them. It’s quite good to do new songs, we’re doing three (Under the Radar, We’re The Dead & Free Spirit), but they seem to be very receptive.
Where would you say you’re most popular?
Germany is very good. America is very good, you get these all ages shows where these 16 year olds are going completely mental. At the biggest shows, when we’re out with the Subs, you get 1000 people or something.
One final question, what are your favourite Vibrators albums?
I like the 1st one because it’s sort of, even now, very unusual and the sound because we had no proper producer on it. I think some of the other albums are very good but there’s something about that album that its got a sort of magic about it.
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Both clips above filmed at Champions, Bournemouth on 12/11/2009.
Above video put together from footage filmed at Champions 12/11/2009 & Talking Heads 18/12/2009.