North band Bad Actress search for new vocalist as Vinnie Vexx moves on
It is the moment any hard-rocking band is likely to dread – the news their charismatic lead singer has decided to move on.
For Bad Actress, with members from Nairn and Muir Of Ord, the news has come that Vinnie Vexx – who has travelled the country with them winning fans everywhere from Sheffield to Nottingham – will now step back.
Bad Actress – described in the past as “a five-piece hard rock and blues rock band, with a touch of glam” – is made up of two long-standing friends from Muir of Ord, Tommy B and 80-R, and the three McFarlane siblings from Moray – Vinnie Vexx, Chick McFarlane and Lui Q.
This is how they announced Vinnie’s decision to their Facebook followers: “It is with a heavy heart that Vinnie has decided to step down from her role as lead singer. The band is prepared and ready to begin our next chapter. We cannot thank Vinnie enough and we’re sure our supporters will join us in wishing Vinnie every success.”
Vinnie says: “Being in Bad Actress has been an amazing experience and one that will stick with me forever.
“It’s a great band that’s really going places.
“My decision to step down is the right thing for me to do and this is the right time to do it.
“There’s a lot going on in my life at the moment, on a personal level, and I have to prioritise my wellbeing.
“I also have a lot of other things I want to pursue with music that I’m really excited about, but have been putting off.
“This will give me time to start working seriously on these and I’ve already started.”
This week, talking about the next step for the band, guitarist Chick said: “Vinnie just made it clear there were a lot of other things she wanted to focus on.
“She is still planning on doing music, but solo music – and things like that – and this will leave a lot more time for that, obviously.”
For anyone who has seen Vinnie in action, the vibrant singer will seem hard to equal.
Chick said: “A lot of people have said that and she will be, but you can get a bit hung up on trying to replace that person.
“We would be happy to find someone who is going to bring their own thing and they will have a different persona, a different personality, and that is fine with us as long as they fit in the band, but bring their own thing to it. It will be different.”
Last year was a busy one for Bad Actress, with the band playing venues across Scotland, England and Wales, including a UK tour with Marco Mendoza of Whitesnake, Journey, Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent, in April. They also joined US band Hardline and Swedish rock veterans Electric Boy for Welsh dates, played Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, more autumn shows in England and Wales, including a headline slot on the second stage at the O2 Academy in Sheffield, Monsterfest, then nine shows in November on tour with Marco Mendoza and Aberdeen with Gun.
Bad Actress have upcoming gigs …
“We have a few shows next month, in Sheffield and Aberdeen, and we’ve got someone from another band filling in for those.
“Then we basically have a few people we are jamming with so we can get an idea of some different voices,” Chick said. “We’re quite open to the idea that you never know how someone’s voice is going to work for the band until you try it out.”
New songs won’t mean having to wait for the new singer, apparently.
Chick said: “We’re doing a lot of writing. But we’ve been doing some recordings too – normally we’d record the vocals last anyway.”
So work on Bad Actress doesn’t stop?
“No, we’re quite determined. We’ll just crack on,” Chick smiled.
Bad Actress seek a new permanent vocalist/frontperson. If this could be you, the band say they would love to hear from you.
Email: badactress01@gmail.com or text +44 7391580415 for more information.
More: badactress.net
Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @badactressband – find out more about their temporary stand-in singer on Facebook!
