KNOX, real name Ian M. Carnochan, was born in London in 1945, and spent his formulative years in Cricklewood and then Watford, where he became interested in the guitar at the age of thirteen. He was in various school bands, mainly based at Watford Grammar School, the RENEGADES (black shirts and sunglasses) and KNOX AND THE KNIGHT RYDERS, but this was gradually put on the back-burner when he went to art school (WATFORD, and WEST OF ENGLAND) and developed a keen interest in painting.

Knox's painting was inspired by both classical artists, and contempory artists like Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Peter Blake, Richard Hamilton, etc., and one of Knox's friends' called Andrew Garnet-Lawson.

In 1974 Knox returned to playing music and in early 1976 was a founder member of THE VIBRATORS, one of the very first punk bands in the U.K. As well as being the main frontman he was the also the main songwriter for the band, writing such hits as "BABY BABY", "LONDON GIRLS", and "AUTOMATIC LOVER" (all top forty). The band played the legendary 100 CLUB PUNK FESTIVAL, and also gigged and recorded with CHRIS SPEDDING which produced the single "POGO DANCING".

Knox also worked as a solo artist, recording an album "PLUTONIUM EXPRESS", which came out on Razor Records in 1983. He did two shows working with ALEX CHILTON, (singer with the BOXTOPS "THE LETTER", and later in BIG STAR) one of which came out as the album "LIVE IN LONDON". Then in 1983 Knox played guitar and wrote material for the URBAN DOGS, a band with CHARLIE HARPER from the U.K. SUBS (another punk band), producing an album of the same name. In 1984 Knox started the FALLEN ANGELS which exclusively performed his material. He used HANOI ROCKS (Scandinavian precursors to Guns And Roses) as his recording band.

With the renewed interest in punk the original line-up of THE VIBRATORS reformed in 1983, and has continued working until the present day doing up to 120 gigs a year all round the world. Knox recently left the band in 2011 to go solo but has continued writing the majority of songs for the band, and is currently working on songs for the band’s next album. Over the years the band has produced eighteen studio albums, numerous live albums, compilation albums, albums of early demos, plus many singles and EPs. The vast majority of the songs being written by Knox. Also during this period a further three URBAN DOGS albums with material written by Knox were released, plus two more FALLEN ANGELS albums written entirely by him, and a Country album featuring songs by Knox called “THE KNOXVILLE BOY” by KNOX AND THE TRAILER TRASH ORCHESTRA. Knox's main lyrical inspiration mostly came from Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, and Iggy Pop. His musical influences are “pretty well everything”.

Knox is also writing some sci-fi/horror stories, and wrote a book on the Vibrators - "nobody else seemed interested in doing it so I did it". The inspiration for the sci-fi/horror stories are Ray Bradbury, Larry Niven, Isaac Azimov, and Stephen King, but Knox is hoping to bring his own particular brand of black humour, present in his lyrics, into these stories.

Knox is a very prolific songwriter and to date his two most successful covers are the ballad "BABY BABY" which sold in excess of 250,000 copies when recorded by DIE TOTEN HOSEN in Germany, (and was also recorded by R.E.M. as a Christmas single for their fan club); and "TROOPS OF TOMORROW" covered by THE EXPLOITED (the title track of their top twenty album), and more recently by Polish metal band VADER. Currently Knox as well as writing for THE VIBRATORS, is involved in several other musical projects , is trying to finish his sci-fi novel, and produce a lot more paintings. In the last few years he's painted portraits of the late Joe Strummer, Joey Ramone, Iggy Pop, etc., as well as Leatherface (he of the baby skin mask) from the film "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", etc.

KNOX (Ian M. Carnochan) MUSIC BIOGRAPHY (17.11.13)

KNOX was a founder member of THE VIBRATORS, one of the very first punk bands in the U.K., formed early in 1976. As well as being the frontman he was the main songwriter for the band, writing such hits as "BABY BABY", "LONDON GIRLS", AUTOMATIC LOVER" (all top forty), etc. The band played the legendary 100 CLUB PUNK FESTIVAL, and also gigged and recorded with CHRIS SPEDDING which produced the single "POGO DANCING".

Knox also worked as a solo artist, recording an album "PLUTONIUM EXPRESS", which came out on Razor Records in 1983. He did two shows working with ALEX CHILTON, (singer with the BOXTOPS "THE LETTER", and later in BIG STAR) one of which came out as the album "LIVE IN LONDON". In 1983 Knox played guitar and wrote material for the URBAN DOGS, a band with CHARLIE HARPER from the U.K. SUBS (another punk band), producing an album of the same name. In 1984 Knox started the FALLEN ANGELS which exclusively performed his material. He used HANOI ROCKS (Scandinavian precursors to Guns And Roses) as his recording band.

With the renewed interest in punk the original line-up of THE VIBRATORS reformed in 1983, and has continued working until the present day doing several tours a year. The band produced a further EIGHTEEN studio albums, several live albums, and albums of demos, plus many singles and EPs. The vast majority of the songs being written by Knox. During this period a further two URBAN DOGS album with material written by Knox were released, a further two more FALLEN ANGELS albums written entirely by him, and a Country album featuring his songs called “THE KNOXVILLE BOY” by KNOX AND THE TRAILER TRASH ORCHESTRA.

Knox is a very prolific songwriter and to date his two most successful covers are the ballad "BABY BABY" which sold in excess of 250,000 copies when recorded by DIE TOTEN HOSEN in Germany in 1992, (and was also recorded by R.E.M. in 1992 as a Christmas single for their fan club!); and "TROOPS OF TOMORROW" covered by THE EXPLOITED (the title track of their top twenty album), and Polish metal band VADER.