The V.I.P.'s

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For the 1963 film, see The V.I.P.s.

The V.I.P.'s
Also known as	The Vipps, Art (1967)
Origin	Carlisle, England
Years active	1963-1967
Label(s)	Island Records, CBS, Star-Club Records
Associated acts	Spooky Tooth
Members
Mike Harrison Greg Ridley Frank Kenyon Jimmy Henshaw Luther Grosvenor Walter Johnstone Mike Kellie Keith Emerson
Notable instrument(s)
Gretsch guitars

The V.I.P.'s formed in Carlisle, Cumberland, (North West England) in Late 1963, out of The Ramrods formed in Carlisle in 1960. The VIP's split in April 1967.

Members were: Mike Harrison (lead voc) (ex Dino and the Danubes, The Dakotas, The Ramrods), Greg Ridley (b) (ex Dino and the Danubes, The Dakotas), Frank Kenyon (r g) (1963-67) (born 12 October 1945, in Carlisle) (ex The Teenages, The Ramrods), Jimmy Henshaw (l g) (1963-67) (born James Henshaw, 20 October 1941, in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland) (ex The Ramrods), Keith Emerson (organ) (1966 - 1967), Luther Grosvenor (l g) (1967), Walter Johnstone (dr) (1963-67) (born 11 March 1943, in Carlisle) (ex The Teenages, The Ramrods), Mike Kellie (dr) (1967).

They were one of the first groups signed to Island Records. With no success, the band became known as "Art" (one album, Supernatural Fairy Tales issued) and then Spooky Tooth.

One single was produced by Derek Lawrence, the Island singles by Guy Stevens.