The Vile Bodies
Bicester, Oxon.
  
 
 
 
Gary Hawkins (aka Severin Airfix) - Vocals Craig Holbem (aka Kroma Zone) - Guitarist
Paul Sirett (aka Riff Ripper) - Guitarist

Anthony Heath (aka The Ant) - Bass
*Robert Taylor - Drums
 
*Mark Barden replaced Robert Taylor who sadly died in 1977 in a motorcycle accident.
 

 The band 'Vile bodies' were formed in 1977 in Bicester, Oxon.  They took their name from a 1930s novel by 'Evelyn Waugh'.

(I think there is currently, or has been, a jazz band with the same name who seem to do occasional gigs but these are not to be confused with the original Vile bodies).

 You have probably seen that we played the Roxy club in Neal Street in 1977, we played on that night with Varicose veins (who were on first) and a band called Bleach who ‘headlined’.

 Wednesday 10th Aug 1977 was audition night. I remember the night well, we were getting a bit of stick from some hecklers (as you do) and the drummer from Bleach, who we had only just met, took a dislike to this, stuck up for us and started a tasty brawl as we soldiered on through the set.

On Friday 16th December they played at the "Courtyard" in Bicester with 'Radioactive Morons', L.S.D. & The Vile Bodies.

 We gigged quite a bit in our local area Oxford/Buckinghamshire from 1977 to 1978.

Our major claim to fame is that the kings Head in Aylesbury banned any future live music at the venue after we played one night, due to the damage at the venue from the crowd.

 Around 1978 we went into Quest studios in Luton, and over two days recorded a 4 track demo.

The four tracks were:

Miss Stupid

Front Page people

Outlawed

8mm Cine Film frenzies.

 

We touted these tracks around, and had good reviews from record companies.

'CBS' selected it onto their short list for potential signings, and 'United Artists' were also interested.

We got as close as meetings with 'United Artists' at their London offices but at that time they already had ‘The Stranglers’ and ‘999’ on their books, and felt that they had no room for another ‘Punk’ band.

 Not disheartened, we stuck together and kept gigging, changed musical direction a bit, and after much heartache I left the band toward the end of 1978, to pursue my solo career.

 

In 1977 we spent a very busy evening wandering the streets of Bicester and spaying the words “Vile Bodies” on a number of carefully selected walls and lampposts. The next day we contacted our local paper (The Bicester Advertiser) to apologise for the actions of some of our fans who had been roaming the streets spraying our name everywhere. Who says marketing is a new phenomenon? (Please see above newspaper cutting).
 

The above Gig Advert is from a Open Air Gig at the 'Courtyard' in Bicester on Saturday 4th June 1977.
   
 

The above Gig Advert is from when the 'Vile Bodies' played the famous 'Roxy Club' with 'Bleach' & 'The Varicose Veins' on Wednesday 10th August 1977.
   
 

The above Gig Advert is from when the 'Vile Bodies' & ''Long Static Dream' played the 'Courtyard' in Bicester on Friday 16th December 1977.
   
 

The above Gig Advert is from when the 'Vile Bodies' & 'Wild Hog' played the 'Courtyard' in Bicester on Saturday 13th August 1977.

 

 

PAGE TWO

 

 

  Thanks to Mike Clarke, Craig Holbem, Paul Sirett, Anthony Heath & Gary Hawkins.

 

 

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