# The Vipers > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Vipers > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Vipers.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vipers > Source revision: 1241279505 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{About|the Irish new wave group|the 1950s skiffle group featuring Wally Whyton|Vipers Skiffle Group}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}} {{Use Irish English|date=May 2014}} '''The Vipers''' were an [Irish](/source/Republic_of_Ireland) [new wave](/source/New_wave_music) group of the late 1970s. A live act fronted by Paul Boyle and guitarist George Sweeney, they toured with [Thin Lizzy](/source/Thin_Lizzy),{{cite web | url = https://www.independent.ie/life/my-brother-the-viper/26852924.html | website = independent.ie | title = My brother, the Viper | date = 13 May 2012 | accessdate = 24 February 2024 | archive-date = 24 February 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240224180309/https://www.independent.ie/life/my-brother-the-viper/26852924.html | url-status = live }} [The Clash](/source/The_Clash) and [The Jam](/source/The_Jam).{{cite web | url = https://iadt.libguides.com/c.php?g=680463&p=4851460 | publisher = Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology | via = iadt.libguides.com | title = Top Hat Online Exhibit: Rock Era 1970s - 1980s | date = | accessdate = 24 February 2024 | archive-date = 26 December 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231226022155/https://iadt.libguides.com/c.php?g=680463&p=4851460 | url-status = live }} The group was formed as part of a growing [punk scene](/source/punk_scene) in Dublin the late 1970s.{{cite book | title = The Rough Guide to Dublin | page = 374 | editor-first1 = Geoff | editor-last1 = Wallis | editor-first2 = Mark | editor-last2 = Connolly | editor-first3 = Margaret | editor-last3 = Greenwood | date = 2002 | publisher = Rough Guides | isbn = 9781858289137 | quote = [Dublin's] punk scene also produced a horde of bands like Radiators from Space [..], The Virgin Prunes [..], The Blades and The Vipers, all of whose influence would be long-lasting }} The Vipers played in what was reported to be Ireland's first punk festival in June 1977, along with [The Undertones](/source/The_Undertones). During the event, a member of the crowd was stabbed and killed,{{cite web | url = https://dublininquirer.com/2017/09/13/belfield-s-burning-forty-years-of-punk/ | website = dublininquirer.com | title = Belfield's Burning: Forty Years of Punk | first = Donal | last = Fallon | date = 13 September 2017 | accessdate = 24 February 2024 | quote = Yet the birth of Irish punk in 1977 was marred by a festival on the grounds of University College Dublin's Belfield campus, where bands including The Radiators From Space, The Undertones and The Vipers performed [..] During the opening acts performance, a fight broke out in the crowd and young Patrick Coultry, a teenager from Cabra, was fatally stabbed | archive-date = 24 February 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240224174816/https://dublininquirer.com/2017/09/13/belfield-s-burning-forty-years-of-punk/ | url-status = live }} and the Irish punk music scene was subsequently blacklisted.{{cite news |last1=Van Nguyen |first1=Dean |title='Utterly radical, subversive and alien': the untold story of Irish post-punk |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2493436006 |access-date=24 February 2024 |work=The Independent |date=2021|id={{ProQuest|2493436006}} }} In 1978, The Vipers headlined a series of live gigs at McGonagles in Dublin, which featured the Dublin-based rock band [U2](/source/U2) as the supporting act.{{cite news |last1=Moran |first1=Hannah |title=Member of Irish band U2 once supported shares ironic turn of events at Dublin gig |url=https://evoke.ie/2018/11/06/extra/irish-band-u2-supported |access-date=24 February 2024 |work=Evoke.ie |date=6 November 2018 |archive-date=24 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224175618/https://evoke.ie/2018/11/06/extra/irish-band-u2-supported |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=U2songs - 1978-04-27 U2, McGonagles, Dublin, Ireland |url=https://www.u2songs.com/shows/1978_04_27_u2_mcgonagles_dublin_ireland1 |website=U2songs.com |access-date=24 February 2024 |archive-date=24 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224175614/https://www.u2songs.com/shows/1978_04_27_u2_mcgonagles_dublin_ireland1 |url-status=live }} Their debut single "I've Got You"/"No Such Thing" (Mulligan LUNS 718) was released in late 1978. This was heard by the [BBC](/source/BBC)'s [John Peel](/source/John_Peel) who invited them to the [UK](/source/United_Kingdom) to do a [session for his radio programme](/source/List_of_Peel_sessions).{{cite web |title=BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 27/02/1979 Vipers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1970s/1979/Feb27vipers/ |website=[BBC](/source/BBC) |access-date=24 February 2024 |date=27 February 1979 |archive-date=24 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224143217/https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1970s/1979/Feb27vipers/ |url-status=live }} A permanent move to [London](/source/London) led to UK tours with [the Boomtown Rats](/source/the_Boomtown_Rats) and [Thin Lizzy](/source/Thin_Lizzy), as well as performances including at the [Marquee](/source/Marquee_Club), Music Machine and Fulham Greyhound. A further single, "Take Me" was released in 1980. The group included Boyle (lead vocals/guitar), Sweeney (lead guitar), Brian Foley (bass), and Dave Moloney (drums).{{cite web |title=The Vipers |url=https://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/vipers.html |website=irishrock.org |access-date=24 February 2024 |archive-date=31 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131201544/https://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/vipers.html |url-status=live }} Bernie Smirnoff (ex-[Hollywood Killers](/source/Hollywood_Killers)) took over from Moloney, as drummer, in September 1979. The Vipers disbanded in December 1980. Boyle subsequently changed his career to acting, whilst other members of the group remained musicians. Foley went on to join [The Blades](/source/The_Blades_(band)),{{Cite web |date=2015-10-31 |title=Music: The Blades of glory - Raytowners back for more {{!}} Irish Independent |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-the-blades-of-glory-raytowners-back-for-more/34153255.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603031957/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-the-blades-of-glory-raytowners-back-for-more/34153255.html |archive-date=2024-06-03 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Irish Independent}} Moloney to the [Cajun Kings](/source/Cajun_Kings) and Sweeney to [The Fat Lady Sings](/source/The_Fat_Lady_Sings). Bernie Smirnoff later played for [Kingbathmat](/source/Kingbathmat).{{Cite web |last=Steelesque |date=2012-12-03 |title=Brit-Prog Rockers KingBathmat Never Follow The Rules |url=https://pittsburghmusicmagazine.net/2012/12/03/brit-prog-rockers-kingbathmat-never-follow-the-rules/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930192324/https://pittsburghmusicmagazine.net/2012/12/03/brit-prog-rockers-kingbathmat-never-follow-the-rules/ |archive-date=2020-09-30 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Pittsburgh Music Magazine |language=en}} Paul Boyle died in London in 2019.{{cite news |last1=Clark |first1=Stuart |title=Paul Boyle from Dublin new wave band The Vipers has passed away |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/paul-boyle-from-dublin-new-wave-band-the-vipers-has-passed-away-22897805 |access-date=24 February 2024 |work=[Hot Press](/source/Hot_Press) |date=24 March 2022 |archive-date=24 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224144408/https://www.hotpress.com/music/paul-boyle-from-dublin-new-wave-band-the-vipers-has-passed-away-22897805 |url-status=live }} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *{{Discogs artist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Vipers, The}} Category:Irish alternative rock groups Category:Musical groups from Dublin (city) Category:Musical groups established in 1977 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Vipers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vipers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vipers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.