The Vipers

This article is about the Irish new wave group. For the 1950s skiffle group featuring Wally Whyton, see Vipers Skiffle Group.

The Vipers were an Irish new wave group of the late 1970s. A live act fronted by Paul Boyle and guitarist George Sweeney, they toured with Thin Lizzy,[1] The Clash[2] and The Jam.[3]

The group was formed as part of a growing punk scene in Dublin the late 1970s.[4] The Vipers played in what was reported to be Ireland's first punk festival in June 1977, along with The Undertones. During the event, a member of the crowd was stabbed and killed,[5] and the Irish punk music scene was subsequently blacklisted.[6]

In 1978, The Vipers headlined a series of live gigs at McGonagles in Dublin, which featured the Dublin-based rock band U2 as the supporting act.[7][8] Their debut single "I've Got You"/"No Such Thing" (Mulligan LUNS 718) was released in late 1978. This was heard by the BBC's John Peel who invited them to the UK to do a session for his radio programme.[9] A permanent move to London led to UK tours with the Boomtown Rats and Thin Lizzy,[10] as well as performances including at the Marquee, Music Machine and Fulham Greyhound. A further single, "Take Me" was released in 1980.[2]

The group included Boyle (lead vocals/guitar), Sweeney (lead guitar), Brian Foley (bass), and Dave Moloney (drums).[2] Bernie Smirnoff (ex-Hollywood Killers) took over from Moloney, as drummer, in September 1979.[2]

The Vipers disbanded in December 1980.[1] Boyle subsequently changed his career to acting, whilst other members of the group remained musicians. Foley went on to join The Blades,[11] Moloney to the Cajun Kings and Sweeney to The Fat Lady Sings. Bernie Smirnoff later played for Kingbathmat.[12]

Paul Boyle died in London in 2019.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "My brother, the Viper". independent.ie. 13 May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Vipers". irishrock.org. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Top Hat Online Exhibit: Rock Era 1970s - 1980s". Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology. Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2024 – via iadt.libguides.com.
  4. ^ Wallis, Geoff; Connolly, Mark; Greenwood, Margaret, eds. (2002). The Rough Guide to Dublin. Rough Guides. p. 374. ISBN 9781858289137. [Dublin's] punk scene also produced a horde of bands like Radiators from Space [..], The Virgin Prunes [..], The Blades and The Vipers, all of whose influence would be long-lasting
  5. ^ Fallon, Donal (13 September 2017). "Belfield's Burning: Forty Years of Punk". dublininquirer.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024. Yet the birth of Irish punk in 1977 was marred by a festival on the grounds of University College Dublin's Belfield campus, where bands including The Radiators From Space, The Undertones and The Vipers performed [..] During the opening acts performance, a fight broke out in the crowd and young Patrick Coultry, a teenager from Cabra, was fatally stabbed
  6. ^ Van Nguyen, Dean (2021). "'Utterly radical, subversive and alien': the untold story of Irish post-punk". The Independent. ProQuest 2493436006. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  7. ^ Moran, Hannah (6 November 2018). "Member of Irish band U2 once supported shares ironic turn of events at Dublin gig". Evoke.ie. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  8. ^ "U2songs - 1978-04-27 U2, McGonagles, Dublin, Ireland". U2songs.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  9. ^ "BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 27/02/1979 Vipers". BBC. 27 February 1979. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  10. ^ a b Clark, Stuart (24 March 2022). "Paul Boyle from Dublin new wave band The Vipers has passed away". Hot Press. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Music: The Blades of glory - Raytowners back for more | Irish Independent". Irish Independent. 31 October 2015. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  12. ^ Steelesque (3 December 2012). "Brit-Prog Rockers KingBathmat Never Follow The Rules". Pittsburgh Music Magazine. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2024.