Vardis was founded in 1973 in Wakefield, England, by 16‑year‑old Steve Zodiac under the name Quo Vardis, later shortened to Vardis in 1977. The band began with local gigs and the 1979 EP 100 M.P.H., which sold nearly 2,000 copies and established their presence. In 1980 the single "If I Were King" was released, followed by the singles "Let's Go" and "Too Many People", the latter reaching number 59 on the UK Singles Chart. The debut studio album 100 M.P.H. arrived in October 1980, peaking at number 52 on the UK Albums Chart, and was followed by the studio album The World’s Insane in April 1981. Subsequent releases included Metal Power (1981), Quo Vardis (1982), The Lion’s Share (1983), and Vigilante (1986), the last of which was released on Raw Power Records before the band disbanded later that year. After a brief hiatus, Vardis reformed in 2014, releasing the EP 200 M.P.H. in 2015 and the album Red Eye in 2016.
