Peter Briggs and the Vikings

One of the best Australian-based British beat bands of the early 1960's, this group started out as The Vikings in late 1963, doing Shadows and Ventures-style instrumentals. Wes Hoffman (bass), Les Horder (rhythm guitar), Bill Clarke (lead guitar), and Don Hill (drums) were doing well enough until they recognized that the Beatles and company were heralding a change in the public's tastes. They added Peter Briggs as vocalist, who joined on condition that he was billed separately ahead of the band. The group kept coming in behind acts like the Twilights and the Buccaneers in various competitions, but won a contract with the Go!! label. They did hard, Liverpool-style rockers, none of which sold especially well despite a good beat and healthy attack on their instruments. Their raw, raucous version of "Some Other Guy" holds up well next to the numerous Liverpool renditions of the song. They broke up in the late 1960's.