FAN STORIES (shorter):

• David
• Ingrid
• Jay Whyte
• Jimmie Matsson
• Karen Merfield
• Karianne Radloff
• Luke Owen
• Mandrake
• Mary
• Peter Fredriksson
• Tammie Lee

FAN STORIES (longer):

• Bernadette Giacomazzo
• Cam McAra
• Ian Price
• John de Bruyn
• John Wilcox
• Roland Weidmann

Story from David in Illinois who used to have the Trash City website. David! If you're out there - please get back in touch with us (Cam)! We need your old song narratives and articles that were lost to the world!

I live in Illinois, smack dab in the Midwest, and am pretty much the only one around here who's ever heard of Transvision Vamp. In fact, I hadn't heard of them until I discovered "Little Magnets" in 1991, after catching the last minute or so of "(I Just Wanna) B with U" on 120 Minutes (on MTV). I knew absolutely nothing about the band, or Wendy James, or all the hype and controversy that had transpired overseas -- but I was hooked on "Little Magnets" the first time I heard it. It wasn't long before I went out and bought the other two albums, and I thought those were great too, although "Little Magnets" is still my favorite of the trilogy.

But I still couldn't find any information about the band. All I knew was that they were from England, and that they had topped the charts there, and so I was waiting for them to conquer the U.S. too -- which was inevitable, I thought, since they were such a great band -- and once that happened, I would no doubt have been the coolest of the cool, having discovered them first! But time went by, and there was no Transvision activity anywhere to be seen - I started to wonder what the hell was going on! It wasn't until I came across some back issues of "Melody Maker" that I discovered the terrible truth -- their album had flopped! And, worse yet -- the band had already broken up! And I'd never even had the chance to see them live! Aaargh!!!

I'm going to stop here, Cam, because this is actually starting to stir up some bitter memories.

Needless to say, though, Transvision Vamp are still one of my all-time favorites. But I do get angry when I think about their lack of exposure in the States. I mean, the only time I've ever seen them on MTV is that last minute of "B with U", and I haven't even seen a TVamp clip on Beavis and Butthead, which is a surprise considering the kind of obscure stuff they've had on there! B & B really are uncultured, y'know.

Have you ever wondered whatever happened to all those Transvision fans that boosted them to the top of the charts. I've got a lot of albums that I used to like but got tired of and haven't listened to in years; but I can't imagine anyone doing that to a TVamp album. Strange. Maybe they just need someone to remind them of the Vamps' greatness. I guess that's up to us.

Wouldn't it be great if there were some sort of Transvision revival? A tribute album, maybe? Heck, I'd even be happy if their old albums were rereleased and people had a chance to hear what they missed the first time around!

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Ingrid (singer/songwriter/guitarist for MONSTERPUSS)

WENDY JAMES still has a place in my punk rock heart!

Hi! I found the site while I was searching for some songs to cover. I'm Ingrid from the band MONSTERPUSS in the USA.

I will never forget the first time I saw Transvision Vamp on Italian TV. Jovannotti was the host (do you know him - terrible) and out came this blonde knockout. I was 12 at the time and I was heavily influenced by Wendy and the band. I still listen to them! It's 12 years later and I cover Baby I Don't Care! It is and has been my fav song...

I like how most people don't know Wendy and then I can introduce them to her. Fans ask about the song and I tell them it's Transvision Vamp. They're like "who?", so I encourage them to pick up an album or two.

Not since the days of The Raincoats, The Slits, Blondie and The Pretenders has a band been so groundbreaking. The 80's were depressing musically - Wendy was a breath of fresh air!

I'm all for Wendy continuing her music! Without women like her I don't think I would've realistically been able to front my own band!

This is a great site - keep up the great work - I have to dig over here to get my Transvision Vamp news!

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Jay Whyte (We Are Transvision Vamp! contributor from Australia, currently residing in California)

I first saw the band in 1991 in Melbourne Australia. Although I had been a fan of the group (especially Wendy) since 1988 when I Want Your Love was released. When she was jumping all over the bed in the video clip is forever stuck in my mind. Although I missed the Velveteen Tour in 1989, when I saw them in 1991 I was awestruck. I even cried through Baby I Don't Care.

I have all 3 albums on CD, cassette & Vinyl (Little Magnets came with this unreal Australian Tour Booklet with the CD and this unreal pink marble style colored vinyl). I have most of thier singles on vinyl, 3 photo albums full of clippings of Wendy James and about 52 posters which covered my bedroom wall for years.

Transvision Vamp were a huge part of my life growing up (and still are today, years after they split up ) I'm counting down the days to Wendy's second solo release. Its also good to see Dave doing well as part of Bush. What a shame that Transmission Vamp didn't get the same world wide recognition that Bush has received. Wendy's presence on stage is just amazing. All I can say is that I hope Wendy finds her way Down Under again. All their Australian Fans miss her heaps. Come Back Wendy!!!!!!!!!!

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Jimmie Matsson (We Are Transvision Vamp! fan from Sweden - and webmaster of the late, great "Wendy James, The Homepage" [now part of WATV!])

Well, I don't have a Transvision Vamp story... yet... but maybe how i became a fan would do?!...

I had not listened to Transvision Vamp for so long... since April 1997. The thing was that I was browsing a record store for nothing special, when i found this CD - Pop Art by Transvision Vamp. I stopped browsing, found myself staring at the cover, and suddenly a flashback hit me. A video.. everything is very dark.... and "I Want Your Love" goes through my head. Hum... let's buy it... So I did, and I listened to it, and could not stop pressing PLAY everytime it came to the end. So I started buying more and more, and later I found out that the dark video was "Tell That Girl To Shut Up", since "I Want Your Love" isn't very dark. Hehe..

It must have hit me very powerfully in 1988 when I was 12, because I didn't listen to anything else then, just the heavy metal band WASP.

Maybe not much of a story, but it's the only one I've got and I felt like sharing something. I keep hoping they will start playing again. I would pay much to see them only once...

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Karen Merfield (We Are Transvision Vamp! fan from Canada)

Wendy, you are my Idol!!! I can't believe that I've actually found a website about you. See, when I was young I basically grew up listening to you, and still do, and you seemed like my big sister and best friend. Then I moved to Canada and all I was left with were your C.D's and a memory of the idol I never knew. You were so free and out-going and I still live my life by the standards you set for me as a little girl! You changed my life and made me live. I have visited England once since leaving but I could find nothing on You or Transvision Vamp and my failed attempt to reach you left me at across road....O.k, I'm not one of those crazy, psycho fans, even though it must sound that way, but I have waited 18 years to get a chance to say thanks for the memories and the chance to live my life to it's extremes!

Yours,
Kaz Merfield (Karen)

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Karianne Radloff (We Are Transvision Vamp! fan from Norway)

I live in a little village called Berlevag far up in the Northern part of Norway, close to the North Cape-the land of the red midnight sun.

I discovered Transvision Vamp's music when I saw their music video "I Wan't Your Love" on MTV. The year was 1988. I thought the song was absolutely brilliant, and my friend had bought the album "Pop Art". When I heard the album I became a big fan of their music, especially the songs "Sister Moon", "I Wan't Your Love", and "Andy Warhol's Dead".

I have their first two albums, " Pop Art" and "Velveteen". I have asked several record stores in Norway about the album "Little Magnets Verses The Bubble Of Babble", but nobody knows about that album, and it seems like it's a very difficult album to find in record stores nowadays.

I hope that they will play together again in the future sometime. I hope that dream will come true someday. I wish you all a happy new millennium! Kind regards and the best wishes to you from Karianne in Norway.

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Luke Owen (We Are Transvision Vamp! fan from the United Kingdom)

It was probably about 1990, 1991 or something. My older brother had Pop Art on cassette, and my Dad was borrowing it. At that time, being only eight or nine, Dad would take us to school in the morning, and for quite a while, Pop Art was his particular favourite tape to play in the car, so we'd end up listening to Pop Art for about half an hour a day, every day, for about six months! Eventually he moved back to his annoying 'mood music', which I've always hated - and I forgot all about Transvision Vamp.

I was rummaging through some old tapes in a cupboard, seven years later, when I came across the very tape he used to play in the car, and just to relive old memories, I played it, and quite liked it, so started listening to it quite regularly. I later found Velveteen in my local HMV, and loved it from the very first scream! Gradually getting more and more CDs of theirs, reaching the total I have now (the 3 albums, the compilation album and two singles). And that's about it. Of course, by the time I'd even heard the name 'Transvision Vamp' in association with the music in the car the group had split up, so I never got to see them perform live... which is a shame. Still, I can always join all other TVV fans in hoping that they'll make a come-back.

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Mandrake (Webmaster for www.transvisionvamp.org [a.k.a. Velveteen])

I became a fan after hearing that there was this band that was suposed to be a female version of SSS. I checked it out, bought Revoloution Baby when it came out, disagreed, but LOVED the song and the b-sides (vid kid vamp! yeah aaah.) Since once I'm a fan, I collect (used to, not anymore thank sod!) everything available, I bought nearly every mag they were in (UK-wise then.) Their music has been a constant thing in my life, and I still play it today! I met the band twice, in 89 and in 91, and all members were very sweet. One thing I don't like about TVV is the fact that they could have been louder (listen to them live!) .

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Mary (We Are Transvision Vamp! fan from [where are you from Mary?])

I never thought that there are any Transvision Vamp fans out there! I'm a fan of them since...mh...let me think...1992 or so, when I first saw "I want your love" on MTV. I tried to find out more about the band and so I called all the radio stations in town to play "I want your love" for me - so they played "Tell that girl to shut up" (don't know why, but I was happy though). Then I forced all my friends to listen and so they liked TV too, and then we four called the radio stations...we always got "Tell that girl to shut up"...and then finally I found their CD Pop Art and Velveteen and I was so glad that it really exists! No one ever heard of it, no one knew about Transvision Vamp! I got only their 3 CDs...never heard of those songs you have on your playlist (I was very depressed then!), and the solo CD of Wendy of course... I'm so glad you wrote to me, thanks so much! Would you keep in touch with me? I'm sorry I cannot help you with rare lyrics or photographs or things like that because I own their CDs and no single single (nice, ain't it?), I never was on a concert and I nearly died when they said they will split up! thats it :)

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Peter Fredriksson (Webmaster of www.wendyjames.nu)

Well .. how I first got involved in TVV ... I was at a hotelroom in Denmark ... we were there on vacation .. me and my parents :/ no fun ... and I was watching Mtv ... and there she was ... Wendy ... I fell in love right then :) and i loved that song too ... I want your love ... thats it :)

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Tammie Lee (We Are Transvision Vamp! fan from the United Kingdom)

I was eleven years old when I first saw Transvision Vamp's "I Want Your Love" video on Top Of The Pops. I fell totally in love with them - their image, their music and, of course, Wendy's voice! That was over ten years ago, and I'm still as crazy about them now as I was then. I was very lucky to have understanding parents who let me spend my pocket money on Vamp records/ memoribilia. They put up with me listening to Vamp records and watching their videos constantly and my mum even took me to see them twice, once in '89 and again in '91. Although I've seen many bands live since then they are still the best two gigs I've ever been to.

I was devastated when Transvision Vamp split up, but I knew Wendy would return. I was over the moon when Wendy released her solo stuff, which I think is fantastic - more so the songs she wrote herself than the ones from the album.

I just hope she returns to the scene one day, the sooner the better!

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