Formed in 1963, the band built their reputation as did many other
beat groups of the era, by covering
R&B and rock and roll, but soon became known for their unusually intense live shows and outlandish stage costumes, dressing as
vicars and
Sami. Although mainly popular as a local act around
Blackpool, England, the Vicars also toured mainland Europe, being one of the earliest British rock bands to perform in a
communist state, when they played in
Yugoslavia in the summer of 1965. They were particularly popular in Finland, where they recorded a single, a rocked up version of "
Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart". They released four singles. The band split in 1968. Lemmy played guitar with the band (as he would with the next group that he joined,
Sam Gopal) and did not take up the bass guitar until he joined
Hawkwind in 1971. In 1967, expatriate Blackpool musician Dave Rossall (ex-Bruce & the Spiders), carrying on the tradition of the English band, formed his own Australian band called Rev Black and the Rockin' Vicars (1967–1969). The Australian band went on to release four singles in its own right, toured extensively around Australia and made the Brisbane Top 40. ==Members==