08-05-2025
The Vapors: Drummer on hit Turning Japanese named Guildford mayor
The former drummer of The Vapors says it is "brilliant" to be voted in as the mayor of Smith, who grew up in the Surrey town, will hold the role until May 2026 after taking over from Sallie Labour councillor's first responsibilities in the role has been attending VE Day events in the town on said: "It's a real thrill to be mayor of your home town."
Smith was the drummer for The Vapors when their song Turning Japanese reached number three on the UK singles chart in song became a number one hit in Australia and the band also had multiple US Vapors also toured alongside Surrey rock band The Jam."It was a fantastic experience and I'm very proud of what we managed to achieve as a band," Smith told the band opted for the American spelling for its name in part to appeal to a US audience, but Smith reflected that the name had a "little bit of cache that we wouldn't have had with the British spelling"."It had a lot going for it and it's a name that obviously served us well," he said.
The drummer went on to work for non-profit Performing Right Society while living in London, now known as PRS for returned to the Guildford area nearly 20 years ago, running a record shop in the town for eight the shop has closed, Smith said he still buys "far too many records" and continues to promotes gigs in the area.
Eventually he took up politics, volunteering to leaflet for the Labour party before standing in the 2017 general election as the party's candidate for came third but was elected as a Westborough ward borough councillor in said: "As with most people, you see what's going on in politics in the country and sometimes you find yourself getting frustrated and shouting at the TV or something."As mayor, he has decided to support theatre group Guildford Shakespeare Company and the Phyllis Tuckwell hospice care is also promoting the local music lesson bursaries charity Cheryl King Trust, which has a "special resonance"."Music has been my whole thing since I was a kid watching Top of the Pops," Smith said.
The Vapors re-formed in 2016 but Smith opted not to join in, despite a "really good" relationship with his former bandmates, as it "would've just been too much" to balance with a political career and family music career is "one of those things that clearly stays with me forever," he said. "It will be the thing that I'm known for."
