Vice Versa (band)

Vice Versa is a synthpop band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Vice Versa comprised future members of the successful pop group ABC. The band was active from 1977-1980 and reformed in 2015. Vice Versa are considered as one of the "Big Four" late 70's minimalistic electronic/synth-based bands from Sheffield together with Cabaret Voltaire, Clock DVA and The Human League, who they supported in 1978.[1]

Vice Versa 2015 line up
Vice Versa 2015 line up: Stephen Singleton and Mark White

The band was formed in 1977 by Stephen Singleton, Mark White and David Sydenham. Their first concert took place at the Doncaster Outlook club supporting Wire and the first major Sheffield gig was with The Human League at the Now Society at the Sheffield University and it was called 'Wot, no Drummers'.[2]

In their anarchic beginnings, the Neutron-label itself was conceived an independent, marking a distinctive path between music and packaging, regarding their material as manifestos focusing around subversive matters of the post-modern and anti-art principles. Although fairly obscure as the Sheffield underground scene ran predominantly local. Vice Versa still succeeded in gaining particular public attention with their own blend of electronic pop tendencies, largely inspired by the Punk explosion, the post punk fall out, and the electronic Sheffield music scene at the time.

As purveyors of fine product, Neutron made sharp, intelligent statements for the new decade - Vice Versa's 'Music 4' (7" EP, NT001) is a brilliant piece of electronic pop linked with cut-up statements on social decadence.

Further two releases, even more ambitious in that matter were a set of prints and a manifesto (NT002), to be finally concluded with a semi-legendary six-sided fold out '1980: The First Fifteen Minutes' (7" EP, NT003) - alongside Vice Versa, further three then-local groups - Clock DVA, The Stunt Kites and I'm So Hollow contributed one track each for their first proper vinyl exposure before getting their own record deals ever after. The EP was also named 'single of the week' by NME, much to the surprise of the group.

At that time and after David decided to leave the band they played a numerous amount of gigs in the U.K . David Sydenham was replaced by Martin Fry who at that time was writing for his fanzine Modern Drugs, he interviewed Stephen and Mark and then never left. During 1980 Vice Versa made two more releases - an excellent cassette '8 Aspects of' followed by another vinyl cut for the two tracks, 'Stilyagi/Eyes of Christ' (7", BBR 003) remixed from the very cassette at the Backstreet/Backlash Studio in Rotterdam.

When they went over to Holland on tour and they were invited to jam in a studio in Rotterdam. Martin Fry started to improvise on vocals and everybody was surprised by the quality of his voice. They decided to make him the lead singer of the band and spent about a year writing new songs, thinking of a new name and concept; this progress being the Vice - Versa to ABC-transformation.[1][3]

In 2014 German label VOD Records released a lavish Vice Versa boxed set called "Electrogenesis 1978-1980".[4] The set was compiled by original band members Singleton and White. Creating the boxed set led into the reformation of Vice Versa. The box included 4 LPs and a bonus 7" ("Genetic Warfare" by Vice Versa + Adi Newton). The set also includes an extensive 48 page LP-sized history of Vice Versa and Neutron Records with many unpublished photographs and unseen original artworks, a metal enamel Badge, 4 full-colour printed innersleeves and in honour of the venue that gave Vice Versa their first opportunities at Sheffield university the Box also includes a paper kit synth called 'nowsoc78' which the buyer of the Box-Set could assemble themselves with scissors and glue.

The 4 LPs in the boxed set are:

In 2015 Stephen Singleton and Mark White reformed Vice Versa. In December 2015 they released a Christmas single called "Little Drum Machine Boy" which was available for fans to download for free on Soundcloud. They are currently writing and recording new material.

Vice Versa Discography

Year Title Product Label Catalogue number
1979 Music 4 7" EP Neutron Records NT001
1979 Neutron Datapack Data Neutron Records NT002
1979 1980: The First 15 Minutes 7"EP Neutron Records NT003
1980 8 Aspects Of Vice Versa CAS album Neutron Records Neutron cassette
1980 Stilyagi / Eyes Of Christ 7" Backstreet Records (NL) BBR003
2014 Electrogenesis 1978-1980 4LP box VOD Records (GE) VOD116
2015 Little Drum Machine Boy Single download White label N/A

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 Vice Versa at sheffieldvision.com
  2. ↑ "Vice Versa biography on VOD Records".
  3. ↑ Reynolds, Simon (2005) Rip it up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984, Faber & Faber, ISBN 0-571-21570-X
  4. ↑ VOD Records at VOD Records Germany

External links

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