VIP | en

The Vipers Skiffle Group – later known simply as The Vipers - were one of the leading British groups during the skiffle period of the mid to late 1950s, and were important in the careers of radio and TV presenter Wally Whyton, record producer George Martin, and several members of The Shadows. The group formed in the spring of 1956 in central London, originally as a trio of singer-guitarists comprising Wally Whyton, Johnny Martyn (b John Martyn Booker, 1934-2007), and Jean Van den Bosch. Later that summer they added a rhythm section, Tony Tolhurst (bass) and John Pilgrim (washboard), and...

There are or have been 4 bands that go by the name of The Vipers. #1 The Vipers is an 1980s band from New York that was transfixed with '60s garage/proto-punk, often drawing comparisons to such similarly styled outfits as the Chesterfield Kings, the Cynics, and Lyres. They were formed by vocalist/saxophonist Jon Weiss (who has been organising the Cavestomp garage rock festival in New York since 1997) after he was booted from the Fleshtones, guitarist David Mann, who had played bass with Television, second guitarist Paul Martin, drummer Patrick Brown and bassist Graham May. Although the band received some...