The Vibrants
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1962 in Adelaide, Australia |
| Defunct | 1973 |
| Headquarters | Adelaide, Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music recordings, singles |
The Vibrants originated as an Australian pop rock band initially known as Bobby James and the Vibrants in Adelaide in 1962. The group's frontman, Bobby James, departed in 1965 to establish the Bobby James Syndicate. Under the name the Vibrants, they achieved two top 20 hits on the Go-Set Australian National Charts with renditions of "Something About You Baby" (January 1967) and "My Prayer" (September 1967). The ensemble dissolved by late 1973.
History
Initially formed in 1962 as the backing band for Bobby James, the founding members consisted of Jeff Gurr on bass, Brenton Hay playing saxophone, Rick Kent on drums, guitarists Terry Osmond and Terry Radford, and Geoff Skewes handling the organ. Their 1965 release, "Jezebel," came out through EMI's Columbia label. Besides supporting James, they also opened for visiting performers such as Johnny O'Keefe and local vocalist Bev Harrell at dance events. In May 1965, operating without James, they released an instrumental track titled "Furry Legs," a playful take on Beethoven's Für Elise. Early in 1966, James moved to Melbourne and left the group.
Following James's departure, Kent and Skewes recruited new members: John Hossen on saxophone, John Perry as lead singer, Billy Pfeifer on bass, and Mike Wade on guitar. After relocating to Melbourne in July 1966, Wade was replaced by Mick Hamilton. Signed to EMI's Columbia division, their debut single under this lineup, "I've Got to Go" (September 1966), failed to enter the charts.
Their commercial breakthrough arrived with a cover of the Four Tops' "Something About You Baby" (January 1967), which climbed to No. 17 on the Go-Set charts. Subsequent releases included Joe Tex's "The Letter Song" (June 1967), which did not achieve national chart success, and a double A-side single featuring "My Prayer" and "Don't Let Your Left Hand Know" (September 1967), reaching No. 5. During this period, they also supported international artists like Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.
In February 1968, Marc Leon took over lead vocals from Perry while Barry Rogers assumed bass responsibilities. Their next release was a Bee Gees cover titled "Terrible Way to Treat Your Baby" (March 1968), which found moderate regional popularity but only attained No. 51 on the comparable Kent Music Report chart.
October 1968 saw a major reshuffle when Leon, Hossen, and Rogers departed to form the Graduate. Remaining members Hamilton, Kent, and Skewes reassembled the Vibrants with new recruits Edgell James, bassist Bob Flinn, drummer Peter Mackay, and vocalist Penny Parsons. Under the Air label, they issued two singles: "I Can't Let Go of Your Love" (July 1970), which reached No. 41 on the Go-Set Top 60, followed by "Give Me Just a Little More Time" (1971). The lineup underwent several changes afterward with multiple bassists cycling through—Barry Rogers returning briefly before being replaced by Peter Day, Ken Leroy, John Vallins, and Phil Parli—and drummer Trevor Courtney succeeding Mackay.
Later additions Buddy England and Julie Oliver replaced Skewes, leaving Hamilton as the sole member from their successful period until his exit in March 1973 when Steve Groves took his place. The band ultimately disbanded within that year.
Afterwards, Courtney and Skewes formed Skylight in 1972 alongside Mike Clarke, Greg Cook, Sunil de Silva, and Bonnie Lever. Courtney had a short tenure with Stylus while Skewes moved into artist management representing groups including country rock ensemble Stars.
Singles
| Year | Single | Australian Chart Rankings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go-Set | KMR | ||
| 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" | – | – |
South Australian Music Awards
Since 2012, the South Australian Music Awards have celebrated outstanding achievements within South Australia's contemporary music scene. The South Australian Music Hall of Fame acknowledges influential contributors to the industry.
! Ref. |- | 2017 | The Vibrants | Hall of Fame | |
External links
- "The Vibrants" podcast featured on Southern FM