Vice (Aussie Hard Rock)

[JC_AOR]

I was watching an Australian teenage horror movie from 1990 called 'Bloodmoon'. Pretty shit movie really, but it's not all bad. It's about a serial killer at an all girls private school who strangles girls with a piece of barbed wire and gouges their eyes out. There's also a lot of tension and fighting between the rich private school boys and the local poorer surfer boys. But what really makes this movie is all the hot girls taking their tops off and showing their jugs.

 

 

So anyway...., aside from the tits, there was a live band playing during the high school dance scene that grabbed my attention. I could see the banner behind them, in big red letters reading 'Vice'. They looked like a hair metal band crossed with a goth band, like The Cure, all members wearing black lipstick etc.

 

I know of at least two other bands called Vice but had never heard of an Aussie band by this name so I did some research.

 

First of all, it turns out this band is from my region of the world, Brisbane, Australia. The songs performed by Vice in the film were really cool slabs of Melodic Hard Rock with keyboards. 'Standing In the Line of Fire' was the first song and it turns out that it was actually written by Jean Beauvoir. The next song was 'Keep Holding On'. Both of these songs are from their 1990 album 'Take Me Home'. The other song is the title track to the movie soundtrack 'Bloodmoon' which was written by Brian May but performed by Vice for this film.

 

 

Here's an excerpt quoted from ausmetalguide.com:

 

"Vice was an early Brisbane entry into the true metal stakes, forming in 1984 and establishing a sound that flirted with thrash and speed metal. Michael Hannah replaced Michael Black early on and Vice backed up the mini-album release with an interstate tour and support slots with The Sweet and Stryper, however the band split up after James was stabbed on-stage by an enraged punter in 1985.

 

The singer reformed the band late the following year under the name LA Rokk, before reverting back to Vice. The band had an all new line up of Darryl McDonald (drums, ex-Black Widow and Gypsy Rose), Peter Cook (bass, ex-Black Widow), Robby Peters (guitar, ex-Trooper) and Dave Roberts (keys), keeping the name but changing Vice's musical outlook toward a mellower, hard rocking style in the vein of Bon Jovi.

 

Vice carried on in varying incarnations into 1990 but split that year."

 

Line-Up:

 

Scott Allard (drums 84-87)

Mikel Black (bass 85-86)

Will Clayfield (bass 84-85)

Peter Cook (bass 88-89)

Chris Furphy (drums 90)

Michael Hannah (bass 86-87)

Joel McCall (bass 87-88)

Darryl McDonald (drums 88-89)

Mathew Mickelson (guitar 90)

Dave Roberts (keyboards 88-90)

Peter Robinson (guitar 88-89) aka Robbie Peters

Peter Sharman (vocals) aka Rodent, Peter James x Storm

Ziggy Straten (drums 87-88)

David Warner (guitar, bass 84-88, 90)

 

Daddy's Little Girl (EP)

1985 Sundown Records

 

 

1. Morpheus 04:44

2. Stop In The Name Of Love 03:42

3. Into The Night 05:04

4. Thriller Between The Sheets 02:37

 

Take Me Home (LP)

1989 Raw Deal Records RD001

 

 

1. Vice (Instrumental)

2. Simpleman

3. Out of Love

4. Standing In the Line of Fire (Written by Jean Beauvoir)

5. Lonely Lady

6. On Fire

7. Take Me Home

8. Keep Holding On (Written by James, Peters, Roberts & Warner)

 

9. Put Up Or Shut Up

10. Skin Tight

 

Bad Girls (LP)

1990 Raw Deal Records

(No track list or artwork found)

 

 

 

Now the hunt is on to find some of their music...

[Jeff]

You lost me at tits...where are those pics?

 

 

 

Actually, no you didn't. Not my upload but try this for the Daddy's Little Girl EP:

 

http://rapidshare.com/#!download|329l32|89254576|VICE_-_Daddy_s_Little_Girl_EP__AUS-1985_.rar

[glam_junkie]

pretty sure i have a Black Widow cassette sitting somwehere.

 

never listened to it, just picked it up cos it looked interesting.

[Geoff]

Wowee after that read I would love to get that 'Take me home' album. Sounds very interesting.

 

So uh, the cover of the debut EP? Wowser. I like it.

 

Did I miss something really obvious, or who the hell is "James" who got stabbed on stage back in 1985??

 

Mmmmm, norks.

[glam_junkie]

 

 

Did I miss something really obvious, or who the hell is "James" who got stabbed on stage back in 1985??

 

 

 

Peter Sharman = Peter James

 

BTW, there are 2 Peter Sharman from QLD on facebook. I just sent a PM to both asking if either were the vocalist from this band.

[Geoff]

 

 

Did I miss something really obvious, or who the hell is "James" who got stabbed on stage back in 1985??

 

 

 

Peter Sharman = Peter James

 

BTW, there are 2 Peter Sharman from QLD on facebook. I just sent a PM to both asking if either were the vocalist from this band.

Cool, thanks for clearing it up.

 

I randomly saw something on Facebook or Myspace or one of them the other day where someone asked a guy called Torry Jasper (ex-lead singer of A Change Of Pace... not exactly a common name, I'd assume) if he was the ex-lead singer of ACOP. The dude was all like, 'wtf f*ck is an acop??'

 

Apologies, it amused me.

[glam_junkie]

A review of Daddy's Little Girl found online...

 

 

Oh dear. In the wonderful world of sexist heavy metal record sleeves, this one has gotta be near the top of the list. Then you add the balance of the title to the mix and you've got a pretty reprehensible combination going on. But after you slap it on, it's clear that Vice were a damn good outfit musically speaking, both "Morpheus" and "Into The Night" riding tough and loud metal grooves. "Thriller Between The Sheets" is fast and tight, although the Supremes' cover version is quite a bit more dicey. The band's sound is ultimately pretty commercial ala Twisted Sister, but with a more strident, underground metal feel to it. If you dig the tougher, harder side of glam metal (Diamond Rexx, Bengal Tigers, Sinful, early Motley Crue) you might find stuff to like here.

[JC_AOR]

Wowee after that read I would love to get that 'Take me home' album. Sounds very interesting.

 

So uh, the cover of the debut EP? Wowser. I like it.

 

Did I miss something really obvious, or who the hell is "James" who got stabbed on stage back in 1985??

 

Mmmmm, norks.

 

Yeah it sounds like 'Take Me Home' is the album to get from these guys. I'm guessing it was only released on vinyl. Their third album 'Bad Girls' might be interesting too. It sounds like their early stuff ie 'Daddy's Little Girl' was much heavier.

[JC_AOR]

You lost me at tits...where are those pics?

 

 

 

Actually, no you didn't. Not my upload but try this for the Daddy's Little Girl EP:

 

http://rapidshare.com/#!download|329l32|89254576|VICE_-_Daddy_s_Little_Girl_EP__AUS-1985_.rar

 

Yeah photos of tits are definitely missing from this topic. Anyway, thanks for the link...I'm downloading it now.

[JC_AOR]

 

 

Did I miss something really obvious, or who the hell is "James" who got stabbed on stage back in 1985??

 

 

 

Peter Sharman = Peter James

 

BTW, there are 2 Peter Sharman from QLD on facebook. I just sent a PM to both asking if either were the vocalist from this band.

 

Cool, let us know if your hear anything from them. Maybe they can hook us up with a copy of the 'Take Me Home' album.

[melodicrockoz]

As none of Vice's material are on CD perhaps an anthology CD release is in order

 

 

Take me Home is imho one of Australia's unsung melodic hard rock classics considering all the attention on the scene are on Roxus, DeMont, Ice Tiger BB Steal & now White Widdow

[glam_junkie]

VICE

 

LA ROKK

 

VICE

 

VICE

 

VICE

[glam_junkie]

And apparenlty this pic was just seconds before the stabbing:

 

[the game]

Cool pix..did not know they had two other releases...hope someone can post the other two albums Take Me Home and Bad Girls...

[JC_AOR]

For those interested, the 'Take Me Home' album has been posted on this blog and can be downloaded here.

[the game]

Anyone have the Bad Girls album to share...many thankx!

[JC_AOR]

I picked up a copy of the 'Take Me Home' LP yesterday at a record store here in Brisbane. It cost $15 but is in excellent condition. On the reverse side of the lyric sheet they have a collage of newspaper clippings which the band appeared in over the years. It provides some pretty cool reading. Its got stuff about supporting Stryper and comments about other Aussie bands in Tyrant and Bengal Tigers.

[melodicrockoz]

Both Tyrant & Bengal Tigers are respected bands but I guess depends on who you ask

BT have a couple of CDs out I enjoy listening to.

[JC_AOR]

Both Tyrant & Bengal Tigers are respected bands but I guess depends on who you ask

BT have a couple of CDs out I enjoy listening to.

Oh yeah I should say, the comments about Bengal Tigers and Tyrant were not in anyway negative.

[Ytseman]

The comments about Tyrant should be negative lol

[JamesEagle]

For those interested, the 'Take Me Home' album has been posted on this blog and can be downloaded here.

 

Cheers! 'Lonely Lady' is excellent, best track so far...

[Geoff]

For those interested, the 'Take Me Home' album has been posted on this blog and can be downloaded here.

 

Cheers! 'Lonely Lady' is excellent, best track so far...

Yeah, thanks Justin. Haven't got around to hearing it yet, but thanks for the link.

[glam_junkie]

Peter from VICE has finally transferred a whole heap of stuff to cd and dvd and sent it too me. just watching a gig from 1989. Never knew this shit existed in australia. Long jackets, taxi driver hats, smoke bombs, sirens ...this is some pretty cool stuff.

 

also, they are recording again. 2 of the original band members i believe, but from what i gather the new stuff is pretty heavy.

[phaffas]

The comments about Tyrant should be negative lol

Good call.

[Guest Peter Sharman]

VICE are going again. After over 20 years absence Dave and myself have recorded 2 albums, VICE and MEAT and have had a few tracks up on Youtube. We have recently begun playing with a full band again and our next shows are on Friday June 6th and Friday June 13th at the Chardons Corner Hotel in Brisbane.

Here are some links to take a look at.

http://www.vice-officialsite.com/

http://www.facebook.com/vicefanpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZrJYgvH0bU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9z64JMMoPQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj6G5-Hy8I8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj82LpF2-Fo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkNTU4_yKsk

Thanks for the continued forum.

Please keep in touch via Facebook or our official site!

See you at a gig soon!!

Peter