The Moontrekkers was a British instrumental rock band in the early 1960s, w… Read Full Bio ↴The Moontrekkers was a British instrumental rock band in the early 1960s, who are best known for their minor chart hit "Night of the Vampire", arranged and produced by Joe Meek, and for their peripheral involvement in the early career of singer Rod Stewart.

The origins of the group lay in The Raiders, formed around 1960 in Hornsey, north London, by teenage school friends Gary Leport (b. 1945, guitar), Jimmy Raither (guitar), Peter Johnson (bass), Tony White (drums), and Robert Farrant (vocals). After Farrant left - later going on to record under the name Bobby Shafto - the group auditioned new singers, and replaced him with the 16-year-old Rod Stewart. They then won an audition with record producer Joe Meek, who liked the group but not their singer. Stewart left, and Meek persuaded the group to add keyboard player Peter Knight, and to change their name to The Moontrekkers.