VAMPIRE LOVERS

The Vampire Lovers, also known as Vampyre Lovers or Vampire Lovers were a Brisbane punk rock group formed in 1982 in Queensland. Originally formed after the demise of Brisbane punk rock group, The Flying Squad in 1981, by Brendan Kibble (Flying Squad singer/guitarist) and Axle "Axe Babe" Conrad (vocals), they enlisted other local musicians Matt "Nasty" Le Noury (guitar) and Shane Cooke (Flying Squad bass guitarist). In 1982 Dave Chamberlain joined on drums to complete the original line up, but Kibble quit shortly after.

Music historian, Ian McFarlane, stated that Brisbane produced "some of the most anarchistic bands of the Australian punk rock era" and that it was a city nationally renowned for its ultra conservatism. According to British fanzine journalist, Hugh Gulland, the band was "Firmly rooted in The Damned / Misfits - horror punk axis" and suggested that the group’s horror punk appeal extended to fans of garish apparel like "pink leopard skin".

The band existed from 1982 to 1984 and reformed in 1988 to disband in 1990. Generally recognized in Australia by the alternative crowd for their first single from 1983 called "Buzzsaw Popstar", the band eventually released one mini-LP called 'Acid Commando's from Planet Fuzz', which appeared in 1991, one year after the band broke up. Both Matt Le Noury and Shane Cooke were in Hitmen D.T.K. in Sydney during the early 1990’s and recorded on some of the group’s later releases. A retrospective compilation called '13 Tasteless Masterpieces' was released by United Kingdom indie label, Magic Monster in 2004.

Members

Axle Conrad (vocals), Shane Cooke (bass), Matt Le Noury (guitar), Dave Chamberlain (drums),  Brendan Kibble (guitar), Jason Shepherd (guitar), Ziggy Staten (drums)

References

http://anarchyofpunk.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/vampire-lovers.html