The Vapors Are Back to “Hit the Ground Running”

Not that anyone is getting old, but if you do the math, “Turning Japanese” by The Vapors has just celebrated its 45^th anniversary.

This startling revelation has context tied to today: the band from Guildford, England made famous by a song from a pre-MTV era are releasing Wasp In a Jar on February 28, their first new album in four years. While ruminating over that concept, consider that like many punk ruffians of a certain age, a band that initially blasted its way through a two-year span, came back determined they had something to say.

In a backstory closely tied to the rise of New Wave in their native UK, The Vapours were discovered by The Jam’s Bruce Foxton at an April 1979 gig in Farncombe, about 30 miles southwest of London. At the time, the group — David Fenton (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Howard Smith (drums), Edward Bazalgette (lead guitar), and Steve Smith (bass) — had been gigging around the area separately, until Fenton was able to recruit his bandmates from the shards of band breakups during 1978.

The benefits of the association were nearly immediate. Foxton began a co-manager role with John Weller (Paul Weller’s father) and was able to offer The Vapors (having removed the ‘U” in hopes of better US exposure), opening slots in May and then on an autumn UK tour with The Jam. Fenton recalled in a Goldmine 2017 interview that the acceleration from playing “to about 20 people in a pub to 2000 seaters overnight” was “brilliant” and described the hijinks involved – from water pistol fights to putting talcum powder on Rick Buckler’s snare drum before they went on — helped solidify their onstage chemistry.

The quartet had been signed to United Artists, releasing their debut single “Prisoners” in October 1979. Produced by Pete Wilson (who went on to work with Weller in The Jam and Style Council), the straightforward, yet harmonious 7-inch failed to make a dent in the UK charts. But a critical studio personnel switch was already in the works. Building on another Jam producer connection, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven had stepped in as producer for their 1980 debut album New Clear Days. But first, a new single.

It’s probably safe to say “Turning Japanese” was the defining moment for The Vapors. Released on January 25, the song, written by Fenton, was a fast-paced mash-up of Oriental-tinged guitar riffs and an earworm-worthy repeated title. While Fenton played coy in the press when asked if it had anything to do with masturbation, it nonetheless hit a chord with the UK public, rising to the Number 3 position on the Official Charts.

Yet what really sent the vibe soaring from a US perspective was the accompanying music video. Directed by Russell Mulcahy – who had helmed The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” in 1979 and was the first video played at the launch of Music Television (MTV) in August 1981 – the visual aspect would be a catalyst for The Vapors, getting the song more eyeballs, a slot on Top of the Pops and served as a preview to the full-length album that was released on June 7, 1980.

New Clear Days, clocking in at a brisk 38 minutes, while being served up on the same new wave buffet as Squeeze, The Police and The Undertones, had a few slivers of a political bent, more akin to The Clash, most notably on the track “News At Ten,” a pithy diatribe against the establishment that stumbled as a single due to a TOTP nine-week strike and the reluctance of BBC Radio to play a song named after a rival ITV program.

Moving at a lightning pace, the band began recording their second album amid tour dates in UK and North America with the single “Spiders” dropping in the UK in February 1981. A decidedly darker tone was prevalent in that song, which was emulated across the sophomore effort Magnets when it was released in May. With a contradictory visual that appeared playful (illustrated by Martin Handford, who later went on to fame with his Where’s Wally? children’s books), the cover art depicted an assassination attempt disguised as an eye.

Producer David Tickle brought a mechanical, detached feel that felt subject-appropriate to many of the tunes, including the lead track “Jimmie Jones,” (a blatant addressing of cult leader Jim Jones), “Civic Hall” as the narrative of Fenton’s assault by overzealous police and the title track, a six-minute prog-rock anthem on the killing of both JFK and RFK. Hardly the stuff one was expecting from a foursome of spunky popsters.

It’s therefore the shame that bundled with a downbeat tone, the selling of their record label, lack of promotion, and the ascent of more synth-based acts dominating the UK charts – Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran and Ultravox – that Magnets failed to live up to expectations. Amid the band being dropped from their record company and the quartet’s subsequent personal lives taking precedence, spelled the death knell for their continued existence. The Vapors disbanded.

Fast forward to 2016. Fenton, Bazalgette, and Steve Smith play a one-off gig with seemingly no intention of going further. Since 1980, “Turning Japanese” had moved firmly into the pop culture lexicon, heard everywhere from 1984’s Molly Ringwald comedy Sixteen Candles to cover versions ranging from Liz Phair to actor Kirsten Dunst. But after that singular show, the buzz was enough for Fenton, Smith, Fenton’s son Danny (and sporadically Michael Giblin of The Split Squad) with drummer Michael Bowes to undertake live gigs into 2020.

While the COVID-19 pandemic had the world in lockdown, The Vapors released their first new material in 40 years when Together dropped in May. Unbeknownst to the general public, this heralded the next stage of The Vapors who like many in their generation have turned the fortune of being a legacy band into something that feels worthwhile and relevant in today’s fractious cultural environment.

The advent of the Cruel World Festival has helped boost the signal of these musicians and brought about a re-emergence of their music. The Vapors performed at the 2023 addition on the “Sad Girls” stage along with Squeeze, Billy Idol, Gang of Four, and Animotion. The momentum going forward has resulted in the February 28 release of Wasp In a Jar. The 14-tracklist is a burst of power pop, epitomized by the lead track and single “Hit the Ground Running” that mirrors the breakneck pace of “Turning Japanese” with a today vibe.

While this present line-up is not in its classic form — Bazalgette is a UK film and television director, most notably helming episodes of Doctor Who and Howard Smith, who stayed in music and most recently, worked on a box set retrospective of The Vapors — Wasp In a Jar careens along with a look back to their iconic pop energy, while investing continued dedication in keeping their punk spirit alive.

– Amy Hughes

Photo: Fair Use image of “The Vapors” album cover