The Vibrants

The Vibrants were an Australian pop rock group that started as Bobby James and the Vibrants in Adelaide in 1962. James, their lead vocalist, left in 1965 to form the Bobby James Syndicate. As the Vibrants, two of their singles peaked in Go-Set Australian National Charts top 20: their cover versions of "Something About You Baby" (January 1967) and "My Prayer" (September). At the end of 1971 the Vibrants disbanded.

The Vibrants
Also known asBobby James and the Vibrants
OriginAdelaide, South Australia, Australia
Genres
Years active1962 (1962)–1971 (1971)
LabelsEMI
Associated actsSkylight
Past members
  • Bobby James
  • Jeff Gurr
  • Brenton Hay
  • Rick Kent
  • Terry Osmond
  • Terry Radford
  • Geoff Skewes
  • John Perry
  • Mike Wade
  • Bill Pfeifer
  • John Hossen
  • Mick Hamilton
  • Marc Leon
  • Barry Rogers
  • Penny Parsons
  • Bob Flynn

History

The Vibrants formed in 1962 in Adelaide as the backing group for pop singer, Bobby James, with the line-up of Jeff Gurr on bass guitar, Brenton Hay on saxophone, Rick Kent on drums, Terry Osmond on guitar, Terry Radford on guitar and Geoff Skewes on organ.[1] That group released a single, "Jezebel", in 1965 via EMI's Columbia imprint. They had recorded another track, "I've Learned", which Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane described as, "an R&B rave-up in the Missing Link mould."[1]

Aside from James they also backed visiting rock 'n' roll singer, Johnny O'Keefe, or local pop vocalist, Bev Harrell, at suburban dances.[1][2] In May 1965, without James, they released an instrumental single, "Furry Legs", which McFarlane felt was, "[a] parody of Beethoven's famous classical piece Für Elise."[1][2] James left the group and, after moving to Melbourne in early 1966, formed the Bobby James Syndicate.[3]

Kent and Skewes continued with the Vibrants and, in April 1966, they were joined by John Hossen on saxophone, John Perry on lead vocals, Billy Pfeifer on bass guitar and Mike Wade on guitar.[1] They took up a weekly residency at Adelaide's KT club backing May Scott. The group relocated to Melbourne in July of that year, where Wade was replaced on guitar by Mick Hamilton (ex-the Moods).[1] They were signed to EMI's Columbia imprint.[1][3] Their first single for that label, "I've Got to Go" (September 1966), did not chart.[1]

The next single was a cover of the Four Tops' "Something About You, Baby" (January 1967),[1][4] which reached No. 17 on the Go-Set Australian National Charts top 40.[5] It is one of their best known tracks,[4] and has been anthologised on compilation albums of Australian 1960s pop music. It was followed by their cover of Joe Tex' "The Letter Song" (June 1967), which did not chart nationally.[6] In September they issued a double-sided single, "My Prayer" / "Don't Let Your Left Hand Know", which peaked at No. 5.[7][8] They appeared on several overseas show, including supporting Sérgio Mendes in Melbourne in 1967.

Perry was replaced by Marc Leon (ex-Impulse) on vocals in February 1968; soon after Barry Rogers took over bass guitar from Pfeiffer.[1][3] The group's next single, a cover of the Bee Gees' "Terrible Way to Treat Your Baby", appeared in March.[1] It sold only moderately in Adelaide and Melbourne.[3] In 2005 chart researcher, David Kent, determined that it reached the equivalent of No. 51 on the Kent Music Report.[9]

In October 1968 a major split occurred when Leon, Hossen and Rogers left to form a new group, the Graduate.[1] Hamilton, Kent and Skewes formed a new version of the Vibrants with Bob Flynn on bass guitar and Penny Parsons on vocals.[1] They released two singles on the Air label, "I Can't Let Go of Your Love" (July 1970), which peaked at No. 41 on the Go-Set Top 60,[10] and "Give Me Just a Little More Time" (1971).[1] Ken Leroy (ex-John Rupert Group) replaced Flynn on bass guitar, and Trevor Courtney (ex-Chants R&B, Cam-Pact) replaced Kent on drums.[1] At the end of 1971 the group disbanded.[1]

In 1972 Courtney and Skewes founded Skylight with Mike Clarke on bass guitar and guitar, Greg Cook (ex-Cam-Pact) on piano and organ, Sunil de Silva on percussion and Bonnie Lever on vocals.[1] Courtney briefly joined Stylus.[1] Skewes was later a talent manager and represented country rockers, Stars.[1]

Discography

Singles
Year Single Australia Chart Positions
Go-Set KMR
[9][11]
1965 "Jezebel" – –
"Furry Legs" – –
1966 "I've Got to Go" – –
1967 "Something About You, Baby" 17 15
"The Letter Song" – 65
"My Prayer" / "Don't Let Your Left Hand Know" 5 10
1968 "Terrible Way to Treat Your Baby" – 51
1970 "I Can't Let Go of Your Love" 41 55
1971 "Give Me Just a Little More Time" – –
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References
  1. McFarlane, Ian (2017). "Encyclopedia entry for 'The Vibrants'". The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Jenkins, Jeff (Foreword) (2nd ed.). Gisborne, VIC: Third Stone Press. p. 500. ISBN 978-0-9953856-0-3.
  2. Swift, Brendan. "The Vibrants | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  3. Kimball, Duncan (2002). "The Vibrants". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  4. Nuttall, Lyn. "'Something About You Baby' – The Vibrants (1967)". Where Did They Get that Song?. Pop Archives - Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  5. Nimmervoll, Ed (10 May 1967). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  6. Nuttall, Lyn. "'The Letter Song' – The Vibrants (1967)". Where Did They Get that Song?. Pop Archives – Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  7. Nimmervoll, Ed (20 December 1967). "National Top 40". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  8. Nuttall, Lyn. "'My Prayer' – The Vibrants (1967)". Where Did They Get that Song?. Pop Archives – Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  9. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Turramurra, NSW: Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-6464-4439-5. Note: Chart positions back calculated by Kent in 2005.
  10. Nimmervoll, Ed (26 December 1970). "National Top 60". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
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