Drummer on 80s hit Turning Japanese named mayor

The erstwhile drummer of The Vapors says it is "brilliant" to beryllium voted successful arsenic the politician of Guildford.

Howard Smith, who grew up successful the Surrey town, volition clasp the relation until May 2026 aft taking implicit from Sallie Barker.

The Labour councillor's archetypal responsibilities successful the relation person been attending VE Day events successful the municipality connected Wednesday.

He said: "It's a existent thrill to beryllium politician of your location town."

Smith was the drummer for The Vapors erstwhile their opus Turning Japanese reached fig 3 connected the UK singles illustration successful 1980.

The opus became a fig 1 deed successful Australia and the set besides had aggregate US tours.

The Vapors besides toured alongside Surrey stone set The Jam.

"It was a fantastic acquisition and I'm precise arrogant of what we managed to execute arsenic a band," Smith told the BBC.

The set opted for the American spelling for its sanction successful portion to entreaty to a US audience, but Smith reflected that the sanction had a "little spot of cache that we wouldn't person had with the British spelling".

"It had a batch going for it and it's a sanction that evidently served america well," helium said.

The drummer went connected to enactment for non-profit Performing Rights Society portion surviving successful London, present known arsenic PRS for Music.

He returned to the Guildford country astir 20 years ago, moving a grounds store successful the municipality for 8 years.

Although the store has closed, Smith said helium inactive buys "far excessively galore records" and continues to promotes gigs successful the area.

Eventually helium took up politics, volunteering to leaflet for the Labour enactment earlier lasting successful the 2017 wide predetermination arsenic the party's campaigner for Guildford.

He came 3rd but was elected arsenic a Westborough ward borough councillor successful 2023.

Smith said: "As with astir people, you spot what's going connected successful authorities successful the state and sometimes you find yourself getting frustrated and shouting astatine the TV oregon something."

As mayor, helium has decided to enactment theatre radical Guildford Shakespeare Company and the Phyllis Tuckwell hospice attraction charity.

He is besides promoting the section euphony acquisition bursaries foundation Cheryl King Trust, which has a "special resonance".

"Music has been my full happening since I was a kid watching Top of the Pops," Smith said.

The Vapors re-formed successful 2016 but Smith opted not to articulation in, contempt a "really good" narration with his erstwhile bandmates, arsenic it "would've conscionable been excessively much" to equilibrium with a governmental vocation and household life.

His euphony vocation is "one of those things that intelligibly stays with maine forever," helium said. "It volition beryllium the happening that I'm known for."