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Vincent Vincent grew up in Hatch End, an area in Harrow, London. He later moved to East London’s Bethnal Green and after leaving Art College decided to start a band. In 2003 he formed Vincent Vincent and the Villains and released a limited edition single on Smoking Gun Records in 2004 called ‘On My Own’. With the band gaining local notoriety they were then talent spotted by Young And Lost Club, who signed the Villains and put out their second release, ‘Blue Boy’. As well as Neill Kidgell on bass and Alex Cox on drums, the band at this time had two frontmen (Vincent himself and Charlie Waller) Waller left shortly after in 2005, to pursue his ambitions with his childhood band, The Rumble Strips. The final months in The Villains were described as “stifling, unpleasant and impossible” and inspired the song ‘Johnny Two Bands’ which would be the bands first major release, taking the melody from a previous song ‘Making Raindrops’. Vincent Vincent found a new bassist and guitarist in Will Church and Tom Bailey (who were friends from college, and with whom Vincent worked in the Ten Bells pub), and the third single - ‘I’m Alive’ - was released on Young and Lost Club Records in April 2006. This secured a record deal with EMI, with ‘Johnny Two Bands’ being chosen as the debut single. This was performed on Top of the Pops in October 2006. The band re-released ‘On My Own’ the following year in October 2007. The next single was ‘Pretty Girl’, which was released on 25th February 2008, followed by the album ‘Gospel Bombs’ on March 10th 2008. The band was dropped by EMI, and played their last gig on September 13th 2008 at London’s 93 Feet East venue. |
