The Vibrolators
Biography
feat. Miss Peta Lee & Belly McClellan
The Vibrolators first took their collective baby steps as far back as mid 1996 and have without interruption continued to gig and tour nation wide ever since.
Quickly establishing themselves as Australia’s major proponent of “Jump Blues” and Swing style Blues, the Vibrolators have over the years morphed into a professional, slick, powerful & serious RnB machine!
The band or band members have often been sought out to back international & national touring artists like Mud Morganfield, Bob Margolin, Kirk Fletcher (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Barbara Blue, Lynwood Slim, Fiona Boyes, Alison Penney, Sue Foley, Lil’ Fi, Chris Wilson and the list goes on..you get the picture, this bunch of musos take their Blues seriously!
The band, full of colourful characters that dress like they’re supposed to be there, covers a large rep of originals, straight up Blues covers and reworked old RnB chestnuts with a faithful approach to the styles and techniques of times gone by.
With Damian Denyer on Baritone Sax, Hank Deberitz on Upright & Electric Bass, Yugon Chobanoff on a small 4 piece kit, Al James on Archtop Guitar & the sensational Belly McClellan on Blues Harp, The Vibrolators totally nail the vibe & sound of the infectious RnB & Blues of the 1950s..
Miss Peta Lee is a natural. Cutting her chops in the rowdy SOR pubs & clubs of the early 1990’s, she rapidly drifted into the bands orbit (in fact, Hank Deberitz “stole” Al James from Miss Pete’s band at the time) and it did not take long to get Miss Pete onboard full time. Peta Lee is one of only a handful Australian singers who does justice to the great, sultry & sassy style of singers like Big Mama Thornton, Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle and Memphis Minnie, performed in their original context.
The bands latest addition is Belly McClellan on harmonica..what Blues band would want to be without a harmonica player..!?
Belly is already well known to many as the unforgettable “headbanger” harp player of Blue Shaddy fame. As unpredictable as he is happy, Belly is a major asset to the Vibrolators ranks.
So, please join us in celebrating 30 years of Retro Rhythms & Glorious Grooves with The Vibrolators..here’s to 30 more!!




