The Lambrettas
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | late 1970s in Brighton, England |
| Headquarters | Brighton , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
The Lambrettas emerged as an English band associated with the mod revival movement, originating from Brighton, England, in the late 1970s. Their name was inspired by the renowned Italian Lambretta scooter, a symbol closely linked to the Mod culture. The founding members consisted of Jez Bird (lead vocals and guitar), Doug Sanders (guitar and backing vocals), Mark Ellis (bass), and Paul Wincer (drums).
Their most notable commercial achievement occurred in 1980 with a rendition of the 1950s classic "Poison Ivy" by Leiber and Stoller, which climbed to No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart. The subsequent single, "Da-a-a-nce," reached No. 12. That same year, their album Beat Boys in the Jet Age attained No. 28 on the UK Albums Chart, bolstered by another moderate hit, "Another Day (Another Girl)"—originally titled "Page 3" until it was renamed due to objections from The Sun newspaper.
Following the decline of the mod revival trend, later releases—including a 1982 cover of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love"—and their sophomore album, Ambience (1981), did not enter the charts. The original lineup performed their last show in London on 14 April 1982. Jez Bird briefly revived the band during the 1990s.
In 2009, The Lambrettas reunited and embarked on tours throughout the UK and Europe. They released the EP Go 4 It in February 2017, which included three new songs alongside a cover of The Kinks' "All Day and All of the Night".
Origins and early career (1970s–1980)
Adopting coordinated mohair outfits, the group took their name from a scooter favored by Mods. They performed at various venues across England before catching the attention of Elton John's label, The Rocket Record Company. As a fledgling label promoting emerging artists, Rocket released their debut single "Go Steady," which achieved moderate success and secured them a longer recording contract.
First album success
Their subsequent release was a cover of the 1950s hit "Poison Ivy," a suggestion from Pete Waterman, who partnered with producer Peter Collins. Featuring brass sections and an energetic "power pop" style, this single reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, earned a silver certification for sales exceeding 250,000 copies, and remains their top-selling track.
The next single, "D-a-a-ance," more representative of their typical sound, peaked at No. 12. After three singles, they issued their debut album Beat Boys In The Jet Age. Controversy arose when the fourth single, “Page 3,” encountered resistance from The Sun due to its allusion to their Page Three feature, necessitating a title change and destruction of existing covers. Nonetheless, the album achieved respectable sales and gained them a supporting role on Madness' European tour.
Ambience release and disbandment
Following their tour, they released their second album Ambience, during which Steve Bray replaced Paul Wincer as drummer. Although well-produced with a refined sound, this album did not succeed commercially as they moved away from their mod image in an effort to attract a wider audience.
Singles from Ambience released in 1981 failed to make an impact. After Bray's departure and replacement by Pat Freyne, further attempts to regain momentum were unsuccessful. In 1982, they recorded a version of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love", but despite radio airplay, it did not chart.
By mid-1982, facing diminishing opportunities, they parted company with their record label and dissolved the group. In 1985, a compilation titled Kick Start was issued summarizing their work.
Subsequent Endeavors
During the 1990s, Jez Bird revived The Lambrettas, performing at intimate venues across England and producing demo tracks for an album that was never officially released. In 1997, he revisited the track "Da-a-ance," re-recording it for inclusion on the Dr. Martens Records compilation titled Generation to Generation. Additionally, that same year, Bird recorded a fresh rendition of the Starsky & Hutch television theme for the album Cult Themes from the 70s Vol.1.
Jez Bird passed away from cancer on 27 August 2008, aged 50.
Present Lineup
On 15 August 2009, guitarist Doug Sanders and drummer Paul Wincer reunited for a one-time performance as The Lambrettas at "Modrophenia '79" in Brighton, with Sanders taking on vocal duties. They were joined by guitarist Philip Edwards and bassist Chris Venzi-James. The enthusiastic response to this reunion prompted the band to embark on tours throughout the UK and Europe. In 2015, Ant Wellman succeeded Venzi-James on bass, and the band expanded their sound by incorporating a three-piece brass section.
The band released the EP Go 4 It in February 2017 through Jet Age Records, featuring three new songs.
- Doug Sanders – vocals, guitar
- Paul Wincer – drums
- Philip Edwards – guitar
- Ant Wellman – bass
- Richard Anstey – saxophone
- David Medland – trumpet
- Dan Rehahn – trombone
Studio Albums
| Year | Album | UK |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Beat Boys in the Jet Age | 28 |
| 1981 | Ambience | — |
Compilation Albums
- Kick Start (1985)
- The Best of the Lambrettas - The Singles Collection (1995)
- The Definitive Collection (Beat Boys in the Jet Age) (1998)
Singles and EPs
| Year | Title | UK |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "Go Steady" | — |
| 1980 | "Poison Ivy" | 7 |
| "D-a-a-ance" | 12 | |
| "Another Day, Another Girl" | 49 | |
| 1981 | "Good Times" | — |
| "Anything You Want" | — | |
| "Decent Town" | — | |
| 1982 | "Somebody to Love" | — |
| 2017 | Go 4 It (EP) | — |
| "—" indicates releases that did not chart. | ||