Punk Rock Dreams - Nigel Bennett - S2:E12 - Austin James Haines Podcast
Beating Addiction - Never Giving Up - Keeping the Dream Alive
Join me for the remarkable story of Nigel Bennett! Nigel kept his dream alive against all odds and reinvented himself!
Nigel has traveled a troubled journey through his musical past, beating addiction and other demons, and never giving up. Nigel’s career began in the heyday of punk in London in the ’70s. He auditioned for various bands including The Sex Pistols and Iron Maiden.
More on Nigel:
Nigel joined The Vibrators, one of London’s first punk bands, in 1989. The band toured, annually visiting all of Europe and North America, along with a visit to South America in 2019. Nigel played on many Vibrators albums and wrote songs with band leader Knox Carnochan, who stopped touring a few years ago.
Sadly, the Vibrators broke up during the pandemic in 2020.
“Knox’s songs are so good that they need to be heard. I got married and moved to Philadelphia and it felt right to restart the band here as the Vibrators V2,” says Bennett, who previously played with the MTV favorite, The Members, who had hits with songs like “Working Girl,” “Radio,” and “Sound of the Suburbs.”
The new lineup consists of bassist Dave Janney (Creem Circus) and drummer Rick Eddy (Blue Wave Theory). The band has been rehearsing in a secret location in South Jersey and will be webcasting a show over the summer so fans all over the world can see and hear the magic of the Vibrators V2.
Nigel’s solo career is on hold while he reboots the Vibrators V2, although he’s still writing songs. Nigel released two solo albums on Zip Records/Sony Red - Truth or Consequences(2012) and Another Bump in the Road (2018).
Nigel has traveled a troubled journey through his musical past, beating addiction and other demons, and never giving up. Nigel’s career began in the heyday of punk in London in the ’70s. He auditioned for various bands including The Sex Pistols and Iron Maiden.
In 1978, Nigel joined The Members, who soon after signed to Virgin Records. The Members’ first album At the Chelsea Nightclub was released in 1979. Nigel wrote some of The Members’ songs including “Radio,” which reached number four in the Australian music charts and was in heavy rotation in the early days of MTV.
After The Members broke up, Nigel toured with Julian Lennon performing on popular television shows in Europe. As part of Julian’s band, Nigel performed “Too Late for Goodbyes” and “Valotte” and “Salt Water.”
Nigel played session work for various musicians, including former Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell, Tom Robinson, Joan Armatrading, Toyah Wilcox and Eddie and The Hot Rods.
Nigel’s guitar virtuosity has caught the ear of many respected musicians, producers, and journalists. Nigel was featured in Guitar Player magazine for his cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” a radio-friendly, buzz-making track on Truth or Consequences.
