The V.I.P.'s (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | The Ramrods |
| Founded | 1963 in Carlisle, Cumberland, England |
| Defunct | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Carlisle , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Mike Harrison, Greg Ridley, Frank Kenyon, Jimmy Henshaw, Keith Emerson, Luther Grosvenor, Walter Johnstone, Mike Kellie |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The V.I.P.'s emerged as a British rhythm and blues ensemble originating from Carlisle, Cumberland, England, in late 1963. This group developed from an earlier formation known as The Ramrods, which had been active since 1960. By 1967, they adopted the name Art and issued the album Supernatural Fairy Tales.
Career
Prominent figures within the band included: Mike Harrison who provided lead vocals and previously performed with Dino and the Danubes, The Dakotas, and The Ramrods; bassist Greg Ridley who also came from Dino and the Danubes and The Dakotas; Frank Kenyon on rhythm guitar from 1963 to 1967, formerly of The Teenages and The Ramrods; Jimmy Henshaw handling lead guitar during the same period, also ex-The Ramrods; Keith Emerson on organ between 1966 and 1967, previously with Gary Farr & The T-Bones; Luther Grosvenor who took over lead guitar duties in 1967; drummer Walter Johnstone (1963–67) with a background in The Teenages and The Ramrods; and Mike Kellie, who joined as drummer in 1967.
Following Emerson's exit in early 1967 to establish The Nice, the remaining members Harrison, Ridley, Grosvenor, and Kellie rebranded themselves as 'Art' and launched the album Supernatural Fairy Tales, produced by Guy Stevens. This record included renditions of Stephen Stills' "What's That Sound (For What It's Worth)" alongside Felix Cavaliere's "Come on Up". Later that year, the band dissolved, with all four joining forces with American artist Gary Wright to create Spooky Tooth.
Additionally, The V.I.P.'s participated in the psychedelic project Featuring The Human Host and the Heavy Metal Kids by Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, a collective spearheaded by Guy Stevens together with graphic artists Michael English and Nigel Waymouth. Contributors comprised Harrison (keys, vocals), Grosvenor (guitar), Ridley (bass), Kellie (drums), Stevens, English, and Waymouth. Released in 1967 under Liberty Records, this album is recognized for introducing the term 'heavy metal' within a musical context despite its psychedelic nature. It consists of five tracks varying in length from two minutes to over fifteen minutes of immersive psychedelic soundscapes.
Studio albums
- Supernatural Fairy Tales (Island Records, 1967 – under the name 'Art')
Compilation albums
- The Complete V.I.P.s (2 CDs featuring 28 tracks) (Repertoire)
EPs
- Stagger Lee, released by Fontana in France
- What's That Sound (For What It's Worth), Fontana, France
- I Wanna Be Free, Fontana, France
- Straight Down to the Bottom, Fontana, France
Singles
- "Don't Keep Shouting at Me" (UK RCA Victor, 1964)
- "Mercy, Mercy" (issued as The Vipps), U.S. single produced by Derek Lawrence
- "Wintertime" (as The Vipps, CBS)
- "I Wanna Be Free" (Island)
- "Straight Down to the Bottom" (Island)
- "What's That Sound (For What It's Worth)" (Island – credited to 'Art')