The Vulcans (band)

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The Vulcans, UK cult band from the 1980s, that combined punk, folk and rock and roll to produce a unique and disarming sound, often augmented by humorous lyrics and outrageous dance routines. Wearing white doctor's coats to perform through most of their later career, they were the proverbial lunatics that took over the asylum, who had evidently stolen their former keepers' working overalls to aid their escape.
Founder members Dan Vulcan, Harry Vulcan and Pete Vulcan first met as teenagers at Northern Grammar School for Boys in Portsmouth (now Mayfield School) in the late seventies. Inspired by punk groups such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash they would meet up at lunch-time at each other's houses to play covers. Meanwhile, Nick Vulcan, Mark Vulcan and Ray Vulcan, also at Northern Grammar School, had formed Random Precision, a loose outfit that wrote many original songs but never performed live. More notable was Harry Eyeball, formed later, who played with limited success on the Portsmouth pub circuit.
The Vulcans' first live show was at the Irish Club, Elm Grove, Portsmouth in 1979. Sue Vulcan was now on vocals after original singer, Pete Vulcan, quit just before the debut show. By the early 1980s, the band's sound and image was influenced by the post-punk survivors the Banshees, Bow Wow Wow and The Clash showing itself in brutal, tortured haircuts and song lyrics, notably 'There's riot going on in the city', 'Brain cancer' and 'Ear muffs'. Gigs at the legendary Bum in the Air Festival and the college circuit followed, establishing their uncompromising approach and highly watchable live show.
By 1983, all band members had relocated to Harlesden, north-west London and the most successful line-up, Dan Vulcan, Harry Vulcan, Mark Vulcan, Nick Vulcan, Pete Vulcan and Ray Vulcan began busking in London's fashionable Covent Garden. Spurred on by the then-unregulated performance arrangements, the band often played in the trendy piazzas long into the night, making money and friends, most notably Eddie Izzard who was later to invite The Vulcans to be the houseband on his first television series, and later the Vicious Boys, who commissioned the band to compose and perform the theme for their LWT series, 'Wake Up London'.
After a successful European tour in the Summer of 1983, the band unexpectedly split as three members of the band (Vulcans Dan, Mark and Ray) embarked on art college courses. This career detour lasted less than 18 months by which time the six band members had reformed and were starring weekly in Izzard's aforementioned TV special. Other notable television appearances were on BBC's Whicker's World (Living with Uncle sam featuring Brits in America) and A Small Problem starring The Young Ones' Christopher Ryan.
By 1986 and now sharing a squat in Brixton, south London, The Vulcans had become stalwarts on the London gig scene, notorious for their riotous live act and their occasional involuntary audience participation. Performing their biggest hit to date, 'Hard Hat Zone', an analogous comment on the dangers of living in urban areas, band members would often upend bollards, as if megaphones, shouting the chorus into the faces of those brave enough to take up front-row seats or standing positions. Preoccupations with mental difficulties caused by heavy drinking peppered their lyrics, most notably in single B-side 'Big Lid Trouble', which told the tale of a man who 'used to be a man of thought, 'til I forgot what I was taught', and 'we used to be contenders, we were witty, clever, intelligence vendors'. A-side was Diddle-I, an electric folk piece produced by respected saxophonist, Pete Thomas [1]. Though not denting the national charts, it received regular radio airplay on their native south coast, where they still had a residency in Portsmouth's goth/psychobilly stronghold, Granny's. Other songs told of the problems of being overweight (Fatman) and penniless (Can You Lend Me 20p?).
In 1987, weighed down by unnecessary electronic gadgetry such as drum machines and synthesisers, the band unwisely widened their repertoire to embark on conceptual compositions encompassing sea shanties and morris dancing which eventually proved the band's undoing. Disillusioned, they split in January 1988 although rumours of a return still persist.
More information can be found at [2]