100 M.P.H.

An often-overlooked NWOBHM band, this, a live album, was their unusual first release. And what a stormer it was too.If you want to heard some great guitar work, just listen to this. Steve Zodiac (real name Steve Hepworth) not only played blistering guitar but was the vocalist too. He was voted in the top 15 rock guitarists by Sounds Magazine readers in 1982.Why did they not make it big?From this album they certainly had the musical ability and were a great live act full of energy. Possibly, like Spider they played R n’ R rhythms at speed which may have seemed a bit old-fashioned at the time. Maybe, because they were seen as a souped-up version of Status Quo, but they were much more than that. Having legal disputes with their former management didn’t help either.If you haven’t got anything by this band, then you are missing some really storming music and this is well worth bending an ear to. Five stars all the way.Playing time is 43 mins.

I bought again this out of nostalgia, as I saw Vardis 40 years ago , shortly after leaving school, at the Douglas Hotel, Aberdeen, about the time they released 'Silver Machine' as a single. It's really as good as I remember, a real boogie bluesy band, a cross between Motorhead, and Hendrix was what I said to friends back then, and I think my comparison was quite accurate, even 40 years later. 'Out of the Way' , 'Let's Go', '100mph' are all superb , with Steve Zodiac's incredibly fast soloing, somewhere between Hendrix and Johnny Winter , who Zodiac resembled, the rhythm section of Alan Selway and Gary Pearson hold things together really well. Its a shame they never reached the dizzy heights of other NHOBHM bands of the time, but what the hell, good music always stands the test of time, and this does for me. I will be buying more from this band soon, but for now, I am transported back in time by way of the Vardis Tardis, to 1981, with this excellent live album!! Now for 'The World's Insane' and 'Quo Vardis', if I could turn back time indeed, as some singer or other once sung.

This album was the dabut album by Vardis A II Z did the same with The Witch of Berkeley a live dabut A II Z was for me the better of the two but they never released another album. I saw Vardis live when this was out and live they were loud very loud great drums and bass Steve on vocals and guitar pushing his voice to the limit but one track seemed just like the next Still enjoyable The world's insane and Que Vardis both albums were more of the same Boogie Then came Vigilante an album that at the time was difficult to get hold of for some reason. In 2016 the band released Red Eye so like any band Vardis have found it hard with covid I hope they comeback all guns firing and they can shoot staight. We need bands like Vardis

Like the other reviewer,I also bought the vinyl album on release and was lucky enough to see them on their first tour in scotland in the early 80s. This cd captures them at their live best,energetic hard rock played with the brill guitarist,steve zodiac.Still one of my fav albums to rock out to!Buy this before it is deleted again!

Think Motorhead meets Jimmy Hendrix. A band that never got the recognition they deserved, this live album is relentless with catchy riffs and brilliant solos. Saw them live thirty years ago and this album brings it all back, doesnt sound dated at all. Get this before its deleted again.

Not bad, if you like Quo with a little more balls then you'll probably like this. Live recording, it's not the clearest but listenable.

I GOT THE LP WHEN FIRST CAME OUT and have searched for cd for years found it a few times crazy money £40 plus until found it on amazon bargain price.Superb album as the tittle says it 100mph all the way.

Had it on vinyl loved it then still loving it now

perfetto grazie

De nos jours, la New Wave Of British Heavy Metal est non seulement adulée mais copiée par des dizaines de formations qui s'ingénient à en recopier le style mais aussi le son, souvent aigrelet. Même si certains groupes tirent leur épingle du jeu et jouent un rôle bénéfique dans la revivification d'un mouvement hétérogène, il n'y a rien de tel que de revenir aux enregistrements initiaux des groupes qui firent réellement partie de la vague.Excellente occasion de pratiquer le retour aux sources sans médiation inutile, le label Dissonance productions réédite les trois premiers albums du trio britannique VARDIS et, à tout seigneur tout honneur, célébrons le retour en grâce de 100 MPH, premier opus. Publié à l'origine en 1980 par Kamaflage records, 100 MPH possédait une qualité toute particulière en cette année inaugurale d'une décennie fondamentale pour le Hard et le Heavy. 100 MPH était un album live. En public, sans fioritures, sans retouches, témoignant de manière profondément authentique du lien unissant un trio et son public. En direct de là où cela se passait - les clubs du Royaume-Uni - et ceux qui ne s'en étaient pas laissé conté sous l'égide du Punk. Le premier gang à proclamer son autonomie stylistique (via un label français, Carrère) fut SAXON. Mais VARDIS fut objectivement un des premiers gangs à témoigner de cette relation intense entre un public et un groupe.On ne vous parle pas là d'un tournant dans le Hard & Heavy mais bien d'une épiphanie. Ainsi, les onze titres figurant sur le pressage initial furent originellement captés sur scène, en présence d'une public relativement peu nombreux mais fervent. A ce jour, 100 MPH demeure l'un des plus authentiques témoignages du lien qui unit groupes et public entre 1979 et 1982. A cette époque, VARDIS reprenait à son compte le Hard Rock dans son plus simple appareil : chant + guitare + basse + batterie. Les riffs secs que lâchent la Telecaster de Steve Zodiac (par ailleurs chanteur en mode lapidaire et nerveux) sont contrebalancés par les lignes de basse ventrues de Alan SELWAY, la frappe sèche de Gary PEARSON complétant avec nervosité l'animation rythmique.Galvanisé par le contexte scénique, le trio délivre avec frénésie un répertoire solide, carré, pourvu d'accroches rythmiques efficaces et avec suffisamment de mélodies simples pour entraîner le public et l'auditeur dans cette saine sarabande, fortement teintée de Boogie Rock endiablé. Aujourd'hui encore, 100 MPH demeure l'un des meilleurs témoignages de cette fameuse NWOBHM, l'un des plus authentiques assurément. A noter que cette réédition contient deux titres live en bonus, Too Many People et Stealin', dont l'origine n'est pas précisée, même si le premier avait fait l'objet d'un double 45 tours en 1980.

Die 100 M.P.H. ist gelungen, da das Remastern funktioniert hat, was bei der The Worlds Insane leider nicht der Fall ist. Der Klang und der Druck der original Aufnahmen ist glasklar zu hören. Viel Spaß!

Not being a particular big fan of Vardis, upon hearing their certified NWOBHM classic If I Were King, further investigation lead me to a live track called 100mph. Which really blew me away, leading to a few other singles, I gathered Vardis could hardly be called heavy metal as they have more of musical kinship to 70's boogie rock bands like Foghat. Although given their more raw and direct sound, they are definetly much less commercial or say, not as approachable to mainstream listeners. Although the best of could tide over most fans who can venture past first class NWOBHM legends like Venom, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Angel Witch, Saxon, Tank, Gaskin, Jaguar, Satan, early Iron Maiden, and veer off into more melodic and/or less sophisticated bands of the genre like Demon, Girlschool, early Def Leppard, Holocaust, this live album which just finally earned itself a reissue in 2009, served as the group's debut album. Their latter efforts in the studio never quite held up as much as this amazingly raw and razor sharp recording of Vardis doing what they did best, playing live in the blue coller pubs and small venues of England. This record turned the tide for me, upon hearing samples it was apparent this was a must have. Each track is brimming with the vibrant energy of 3 british kids playing great fun rock and roll. Steve Zodiac on guitar is amazing and Alan Selway on bass is a great rhythm section. Tracks like Out Of The Way, Move Along, Living Out Of Touch, and more melodic anthemic rockers like Situation Negative, Lion's Share, Destiny and The Loser are all brimming with amazing hard rock energy. The more raw and non polished sound helps as usual with any NWOBHM band. They sounded great because they were so raw and gritty, with no expensive productions or mixing done. It was honest and brutal. Of course their trademark song is included, but for me the keytrack here is the title song 100mph. A 7 minute excursion of kick ass hard rock jamming with some of Steves best guitar playing. The best of Vardis ridiculously cuts off the solo at the end of the track. Although whichever version you hear is still great. This is the song that attracted me to this band. So as a album in whole, it's essential for fans of rare early 80's hard rock, although for that quarter of NOWBHM fans that like more faster pre-thrash era groups like Saxon, Accept, or Venom, you might be wanting a little more. But either way, this is definetly isn't pop music and is the best outing these guys ever have. No NWOBHM fan should go without this.

Début prometteur pour ce trio, ça envoie sévère. Bon, après ça on est un peu obligé d'avoir le reste !