Vice Killer: there aren't many East Durham voices in music- we want to put Peterlee on the map

That’s how Thomas Gilling, lead singer of Peterlee band Vice Killer describes their sound. Thomas started writing short stories from a young age, and the missing musical aspect was added later in life with the creation of a band that is aiming to put the East Durham town on the map.

In 2024 the band, consisting of Gilling, lead guitarist James Langan, bassist Jack Langan and drummer Lewis Muir, are making a name for themselves- and have shown they have a bright future.

“I went to Shotton Hall school with James Langan,” Thomas said. We were in the same year group in Peterlee and we never hung around with each other but I was always aware he could play guitar. I was very much an outsider to music, didn’t know anything about it and I couldn’t play an instrument. As I left school I learned a bit of guitar when I was 18 or 19. James got back in touch with me just before Covid and asked if I wanted to buy a guitar. 

“He dropped it off and from then on I started to put some songs together which I’d never been able to do before. In the area I didn’t know anyone musically, James only knew his brother Jack who plays bass and Jack’s best mate was Lewis [Muir] who plays drums. It came together nicely from there and we started practising from there.” 

The next big step for Vice Killer came with their first ever gig, and Thomas recalled the nervous state of the band. 

 “It was in 2021 that we got offered a gig in South London. We drove down for this and I’d never been on stage before, I think James had rarely been on stage, so we were a bag of nerves. We played at the Amersham Arms and we did a sound check and then we were told we were moved up the bill from opening act to main support, so I think this added to the nerves.  It all went up from here.” 

Peterlee and East Durham is very much home for Thomas, and his passion for storytelling has inspired him to write songs about where he is from. 

“I’ve travelled around the world, to Australia and Vietnam and across Europe, but I can’t see myself being anywhere else other than County Durham. It's all I have a passion for. I’ve worked in County Durham since I was 16, when I listen to bands and their stories and concerts I've always wanted something to listen to that is about our area. It’s not common, especially about East Durham. I’ve not listened to too many people from around here.

“I’ve got a big family and we’ve got different characters who have worked in different industries, like work on farms, building sites, I’ve worked on factory floor so I’ve always had plenty to talk about.”

Thomas found real inspiration through tales he heard from men decades older than himself. It was a learning experience when starting work. 

“When I left school at 16 and went into an industry with 50/60 year old men when I was just a boy taught me a lot. I found I learnt the most on bait time, with all these old guys talking about strikes and they’re all ex-miners. Listening to the experiences they’ve had, whether it was back when the strike was at its strongest in places like Easington and people would get stopped and questioned outside their own village. 

“I would always take a mental note of things like this and the stories they would tell, because they would still be so passionate about it. I gained a lot of knowledge through just listening.” 

The lack of musical voices that come from that particular area of County Durham is something Vice Killer want to change. They are doing so with their music. 

“It’s not our duty, but because we’re from Peterlee and East Durham, it deserves to have a voice. This is overshadowed by places like Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. We’re kind of caught in the crossfire of these places, and sometimes we can be forgotten about.

“To have artists and creatives from Peterlee and the surrounding area, it’s good to see that there are plenty of people around here who are talented, they just need to have a chance.”   

Vice Killer are an example of a band making their own way in the musical world from within County Durham. Thomas had some advice for anyone who is at the stage where the band found themselves just a few years ago. 

“I would always say stick to your guns. Don’t always think that you need to leave the area to make a difference, but if you do, don't forget where you are from. Just because you’re from wherever in East Durham, it doesn't mean you need to become someone from the big city. If you stay as honest as possible, there’s success to be had there.”

Vice Killer will release their debut album in the new year, with their home town’s history playing an integral role. Thomas gave an insight into what fans can expect from the finished product. 

“The album is named after Peterlee, we’re going to call it ‘A Miners Capital’. It’s a collection of songs under that title and there will be a song on the album with the same name, and we’re working on a music video for this one. There’s a song at the end of the album called ‘A Seventies Makeover’ which I think is the most political song I’ve ever written. It doesn’t just represent our area, it represents the UK as a whole.” 

The efforts to turn the album from a dream to a reality have been tough, but hard work and patience has paid off for this fresh sounding quartet from Peterlee. 

Thomas said: “It’s been a lot of work, it’s been a lot of saving up money. The album was written and ready to go but trying to afford the money and the time off work in the studio to go and finish it in two or three weeks was something we couldn’t do. We understand how much of an achievement it is for us as it's not something we ever thought we would do.”