Best known for their 1980 hit “Turning Japanese,” The Vapors are a band that formed in 1979 in Guildford, UK which is also home to The Stranglers.
They were brought to a larger UK audience with a support slot on The Jam’s iconic 1979 “Setting Sons” tour, and were by then managed by The Jam’s Bruce Foxton and Paul Weller’s father John. Their debut album spawned several hits including “News At Ten” and” Waiting for the Weekend.” They put out a second album, Magnets in 1981, toured extensively and then broke up. In 2016, they played their first gig in 35 years and have been making records and playing again ever since. I spoke with lead singer and songwriter Dave Fenton about all these things.
The Vapors are releasing their fourth album Wasp in a Jar on February 28, 2025 and have an extensive tour planned. If you go to the band’s website you’ll be able to view the calendar and all other Vapors happenings
Dylan Hundley is an artist and performer. She is the co-creator and lead singer of Lulu Lewis and creator of all things at Darling Black. She co-curates and hosts Salon Lulu which is a New York based multidisciplinary performance series. She is also a cast member of the iconic New York film Metropolitan.
