The Nips: Member Biographies History | Timeline Shane and Shanne were the only two members who stayed from beginning to end. Everyone else, as Shane put it, "lasted as long as they lasted." Shane MacGowan (vocals, 1976–1980) Shane MacGowan was born on Christmas Day 1957 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and grew up between London and County Tipperary, Ireland. As a teenager he was a barman at the Griffin Tavern in Charing Cross, soaking up the pub rock scene and watching acts like the Pink Fairies, the 10lers, and Dr. Feelgood. When he stumbled onto a Sex Pistols gig on June 15, 1976, it changed everything. He chopped off his hair, left his job, and threw himself into the nascent punk scene — working the Rock On record stall in Soho by day, haunting the ICA and all-night Soho clubs by night. Known on the scene as Shane O'Hooligan, he was photographed for the cover of Sounds as "the face of '76," edited one issue of the fanzine Bondage, and co-founded the Nipple Erectors with Shanne Bradley. He wrote most of the band's material and fronted them through every lineup change until their end. After the Nips split, he went on to form the Pogues (originally Pogue Mahone) in 1982, becoming one of the most distinctive voices in Irish-inflected punk and folk. He died in November 2023. Read more in the Lost Decade excerpt. Shanne Bradley (bass, 1976–1980; AKA Dragonella, and later Shanne Hasler) Shanne Bradley (born 1957) founded the Nipple Erectors and gave them their name. She had previously played bass with the Laundrettas and was among the first wave of punk's London inner circle. Described as "originally taught by Captain Sensible," her playing improved significantly over the band's lifetime and she became, in ZigZag's words, "a key figure in the line-up." She renamed herself Dragonella to avoid confusion with Shane. After the Nips disbanded she co-founded the Men They Couldn't Hang in 1984, debuting at the Alternative Country and Western Festival at the Electric Ballroom in Camden — using the band name that Shane MacGowan had originally intended for his own new group. The Pogues later named an instrumental track "Shanne Bradley" in her honour on their 1988 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God. She reunited with Shane for the Nipple Erectors' 2008 show at the 100 Club. Read Gavin Douglas' description of her on-stage dedication in the Lost Decade section. Adrian Thrills (1976–1977) Adrian Thrills was one of the original three Nipple Erectors alongside Shane and Shanne, part of the bedroom-demo phase of the band recorded in Shanne's flat. He was already known on the scene as the editor of the punk fanzine 48 Thrills. He was gone before the band started gigging and Roger joined as guitarist; he went on to become a staff writer at the NME, where he covered punk and post-punk extensively, and later interviewed the Nips himself for the paper in October 1979. Gavin Douglas (guitar, 1978, 1979–1980; AKA Gavin "Fritz" Douglas) Gavin Douglas (nicknamed "Blondie") was born in 1959 and bought his first guitar at age 12, playing gigs in North Wales from age 13. He moved to London in 1977 at 18 and briefly joined a post-punk band called Bitch in September 1977. In January 1978 he auditioned in a Covent Garden basement, met Shane, Shanne, and drummer Grinny, and got the job; manager Stan Brennan told him his first gig was in two weeks, supporting the Jam at the Rainbow Theatre. He rejoined in May 1979 and was present for the Polydor/Paul Weller demo session in 1980 at Bond Street studios ("Happy Song" and "Nobody To Love"), playing into the final months before the band disbanded. The Nips gigged extensively during his tenure, supporting the Clash, the Damned, Dexys Midnight Runners, and the Jam. When the Nips ended, Shane offered Gavin a place in his new Irish folk/punk band — Gavin declined in order to study jazz double bass. He subsequently worked the jazz and soul scenes in London and eventually moved to Northumberland. Roger (guitar, 1977–1978; surname unconfirmed) Roger was the Nipple Erectors' guitarist from their earliest gigging days through the recording of the first single, having been with the band about a year when the Sounds review in May 1978 appeared. The article described him as "the intellectual creme de la creme type of the band" and "an ex-art student." He left in August 1978, and was last spotted, according to Shane, selling postcards at the National Gallery. Arcane (drums, 1977–1978; full name Adrian Fox, also listed as Arcane Vendetta) Arcane was the original drummer for the Nipple Erectors, playing with the band from their earliest days through their first gigs at the Roxy and elsewhere. He departed before the recording of the first single, being replaced by Gerry. Gerry (drums, 1978) Gerry replaced Arcane in time for the recording of "King Of The Bop," then left shortly after. He had previously played with Tools, and subsequently turned up as a member of an early incarnation of the Pretenders. Grinny (drums, 1978, 1979) Grinny was the drummer present when Gavin Douglas auditioned for the band in January 1978 in a Covent Garden basement — Gavin's own account describes "Shane snarling and screaming over my grungy Telecaster R&B riffs, whilst Shanne & Grinny kept a steady pulse driving." He appears to have had two separate stints with the band, also returning in March/April 1979 between the Phil Rowlands and Mark Harrison periods. Rick Collett (drums, c. 1977–1978) Rick Collett drummed for the Nipple Erectors early on and played with them at the Roxy. He fell out with Shane and moved to Leamington Spa, where he became roadie and sound man for The Shapes. Shane later came to see The Shapes at Dingwalls, and he and Rick made up. (Source: Gareth Holder of The Shapes.) Larry Hinrichs (guitar, 1978–1979) Larry Hinrichs replaced Roger as guitarist after the name change to the Nips and played on the "All The Time In The World" single. He was a well-known face on the London punk scene and was so closely associated with the Damned that when Dave Vanian failed to turn up for a gig one night, Larry stood in. It was Mark Harrison — Bernie Torme's drummer — who had originally taught Larry to play guitar; Larry returned the favour by landing Mark a place in the Nips. He is mentioned in the ZigZag interview as having quit the music business, and he also stood in at short notice at least once when Gavin couldn't make a gig. Phil Rowlands (drums, 1978–1979 [?]) Phil Rowlands, who had previously drummed for Eater, had a spell in the Nips during the transitional period after the name change. The exact duration of his stint is not clearly documented. Roger Williams (drums, c. 1979; also known as "Ringo Watts") A second Roger — not the original guitarist — joined the Nips on drums, playing alongside Gavin Douglas. He is known to have used the stage name "Ringo Watts" and was the drummer by the time of the October 1979 Gabrielle release. Mark Harrison (drums, 1979–1980) Mark Harrison joined the Nips as their drummer after a period playing with the Bernie Torme Band. It was Mark who had originally taught Larry Hinrichs to play guitar; Larry returned the favour by landing him the drum seat. Mark is present in the ZigZag interview (March 1980) and played on the live album Only The End Of The Beginning. James Fearnley (guitar, 1979–1980) James Fearnley was born on October 9, 1954, in Worsley, near Manchester. He came up through punk, and by the time he joined the Nips as their final guitarist he was living in Burton Street with the rest of the band. Shane described the final lineup — James, Shanne, Jon Moss, and himself — as "a really good group." After the band's Burton Street home was declared a dangerous building, James was rehoused in Mornington Crescent and joined a soul band called the Giants. He then became accordionist for the Pogues (originally Pogue Mahone), having been recruited by Jem Finer who arrived at his flat with an accordion in a laundry bag. He remained with the Pogues through their peak years and beyond. His memoir, Here Comes Everybody: The Story of the Pogues, was published by Faber and Faber in 2012. He can be seen with Shane in the Lost Decade photo caption: "Shane MacGowan and James Fearnley, December 1979." Jon Moss (drums, 1980) Jon Moss (Jonathan Aubrey Moss) was the final drummer of the Nips. He had previously played with the Damned and Adam and the Ants before his stint with Shane and company. Shane's verdict: "Jon Moss is a brilliant drummer, and a great bloke — although he wouldn't sing 'The Holly And The Ivy' when we played with the Jam at the Music Machine. We were all dressed in women's nightdresses and Jon was wearing a pair of frilly pants and wouldn't come out to the front of the stage to do backing vocals." After the Nips, Moss went on to co-found Culture Club with Boy George, achieving worldwide fame in the early 1980s.