We started this series a few years back to highlight long lost Mod and Powerpop gems that have been over looked and give them a new lease of life!
The Vandells are one of these bands and were around for a very short point in time. They hailed from Brighton... The spirital home of MOD!
Dave Barnard (vocals, bass), Tony Maybury (guitar), Marcus Vandell (vocals), Stewart Green (drums), Pete Lyon (keyboards). A Mod / Powerpop crossover act formed in 1979 when Barnard and Maybury left the punk band 'The Depressions'. However, this was a short-lived venture, their debut output being two tracks on the Vaultage ’79 compilation. They also subsequently released a single on Pete Waterman’s Loose Ends label, but although Barnard thinks ‘Ruby Toot’ was a “great single”, it disappeared without trace.
As Pete Lyon would point out in a subsequent e-mail to punkbrighton.com, “Dave Barnard wrote a lot of good songs but we never made it. I think the main reason was our huge consumption of drink and drugs, but I'm not an expert.” Sadly, that was enough to do for Tony Maybury.
Dave Barnard went on to play Bass with Steve Ellis Love Affair and Northern Soul Chicago legend Terry Callier. He now continues to play as a local musician in Brighton, Stewart Green still plays drums in local bands, while Pete Lyon is now resident in Bangkok and Marcus Vandell is a music producer in Spain.
Discography:
Ruby Toot/I See Everything 7-inch (Loose Ends Records 1980)
Compilation: Vaultage ’79 LP (Attrix RB 08 1979; ‘Bank Holiday’, ‘Another Girl’)
Alex Ogg
As per usually, only 300 copies pressed!
This release is part of a two set release as another four tracks by the Vandells will follow in a few months time!
FEATURES
Bank Holidays
Doctors
Fly Away
Love’s Gonna Last
