Named after the iconic Italian Lambretta scooter brand popular among Mods, the band was formed in Brighton. Their original line-up consisted of Jez Bird (singer/guitarist), Doug Sanders (guitarist/vocalist), Mark Ellis (bassist) and Paul Wincer (drummer). Their biggest hit was in 1980, with a cover version of the 1950s Leiber and Stoller song, "Poison Ivy", which reached #7 in the UK Singles Chart. They scored a #12 hit with the follow-up, "Da-a-a-nce". In the same year, they released the album Beat Boys in the Jet Age, which reached #28 on the UK Albums Chart, and scored another minor hit single single, "Another Day (Another Girl)", at UK #45 . The latter song was originally called "Page Three" but an injunction from the Sun newspaper forced a change of title and the destruction of all the manufactured sleeves. All these releases were issued by Rocket Records., the imprint owned by Elton John. After the Mod revival faded, subsequent singles, which included a 1982 cover of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love" - featuring Patrick Freyne on drums - and a second album, 1981's Ambience(Drummer Paul Wincer left the band and was replaced on the album by Steve Bray), were commercial failures. The band played their final concert in London, on 14 April 1982. Bird re-formed the band in the 1990s, performing at small venues in England, and recording several demos for a new album that was never issued.
Founding member Jez Bird died of cancer on 27 August 2008, at the age of 50.
Many sources state that bassist Mark Ellis has for many years used the pseudonym "Flood" -- well known for his work with such artists as U2 on remixes, etc. This is, in fact, a different Mark Ellis.
Doug Sanders still plays in a band called Zenhouse [http://www.zenhouse.co.uk]
The band re-formed in 2009 with Doug Sanders taking over vocal duties, Paul Wincer on drums, guitarist Philip Edwards and Chris Venzi-James on bass, playing their first gig in Brighton on the 15th of August.
From Wikipedia
