OPTIC NERVE is really becoming the go-to mecca for wax heads who want pristine vinyl reissues of lost, past greats; an Edsel for the 21st century.
The latest cult musical waifs to receive the label’s loving care is British powerpop/mod outfit The V.I.P.’s.
The V.I.P.’s are notable, besides perhaps an over-blessing of punctuation, for never quite making good on their breezy powerpop rushes. These came out as a half-dozen 7″ singles between ’79 and ’81, mainly for the Gem label, where they sat alongside label mates such as the U.K. Subs and Samson.
Radio 1 airplay and tour slots with the likes of The Specials, Secret Affair, The Beat, Madness and even Dexy’s never lifted the band chartward.
How close did they come? They were booked for a Top of the Pops appearance, but that was pulled due to the Musicians’ Union strike that saw TOTP off the airwaves between May and October 1980. That close to national television …
But come October 30th this year, you’ll be able to indulge in a remastered, gatefold-sleeved, electric blue vinyl compilation gathering together their entire studio-recorded legacy: 17 tracks.
Have a listen to one of their fresh-faced mod-pop tracks below, and serendipitously the one from which the compilation takes its name; you can pre-order the vinyl here.
