Vice Squad came togther in Bristol in 1979, forming like a phoenix out of the ashes of two local bands, The Contingent and TV Brakes. The four-piece group comprised Beki Bondage on vocals (real name Rebecca Louise Bond), Dave Bateman on guitar, Mark Hambly on bass and Shane Baldwin on drums. Their music alternated between straight-ahead aggressive rock and power-pop, although they were perhaps more known for their tough punk image.

Beki in particular allowed the rock media to trumpet her as punk's leading sex symbol, and she did pose topless on one occasion (but only with her back to the camera) for the front cover of Sounds. In addition, Beki was featured three times on the front cover of Sounds, as well as twice on the cover of Melody Maker. Other cover features include Punk Lives, Musicians Weekly, NME, Number One, Smash Hits and Kicks. She was perhaps the most popular punk pin-up or her time.

Unable to secure a record deal during their early months of gigging, the band ended up forming their own Riot City label, through which they released their first single, Last Rockers, in December 1980 (Riot City went on the produce other bands, one of the better known being Chaos U.K.) This was followed by the Resurrection EP, after which both the band and their label were signed by the EMI Zonophone division. The album No Cause for Concern was subsequently released, receiving muted critical reviews but selling reasonably well, reaching no. 32 on the UK album charts. Seven months later, a second album, Stand Strong, Stand Proud was in the shops (it reached no. 47).

However, except for a brief chart touch (a week at no. 68) by their single Out of Reach that was released between the two albums, the group's Zonophone singles failed to build their commercial profile as EMI had planned, and relations between the band and the record company began to sour. Beki subsequently left in 1983 to record the single Crime and Passion for EMI with new musicians, going under the name Ligotage. In the meantime, Vice Squad recruited another female singer, Lia, and released their third album Shot Away, but it did miserably sales-wise and the band rapidly faded from view after that.