The Bangles
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| The Bangles | ||
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 The Bangles in publicity photo: Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Michael Steele and Vicki Peterson.
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| Background information | ||
| Also known as | The Supersonic Bangs, The Bangs | |
| Origin |  Los Angeles, California, United States |
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| Genre(s) | Rock, Pop | |
| Years active | 1981–1988 2000–present |
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| Label(s) | I.R.S., Columbia, Koch | |
| Website | The Bangles.com | |
| Members | ||
| Susanna Hoffs Debbi Peterson Vicki Peterson |
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| Former members | ||
| Annette Zilinskas Michael Steele |
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The Bangles were one of the new generation of independent all-women bands that followed The Go-Go's in the early 1980s.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Formation and early years (1981-1983)
The band was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981 as The Supersonic Bangs, later shortened to The Bangs. The band was part of the so-called Paisley Underground scene in LA, which featured groups that played a mixture of 1960s influenced folk-rock and jangle-pop with a more modern punk-ish/garage band undertone.
They were forced to change their name to The Bangles when a band from New Jersey, also named The Bangs, threatened to sue. [1]
The initial Bangles line-up of Susanna Hoffs (vocals/guitars), Vicki Peterson (guitars/vocals), Debbi Peterson (drums/vocals) and Annette Zilinskas (bass/vocals) made their recorded debut with a self titled EP, which was released on their manager Miles Copeland's Faulty Products label in 1982. Zilinskas subsequently left the band, and was replaced on bass by Michael Steele.
[edit] Career peak (1984-1988)
The Bangles full-length debut album on Columbia All Over the Place (1984) captured their power-pop roots, and featured singles "Hero Takes a Fall" and the Kimberley Rew-penned "Going Down To Liverpool". The record attracted good critical notices, and the video for "Liverpool" featured Leonard Nimoy, which helped to generate further publicity.
All this went some way to attracting the attention of Prince, who later wrote "Manic Monday" for the group.[2]
"Manic Monday" went on to become a U.S. #2 hit, outsold at the time only by another Prince composition, his very own "Kiss". The accompanying album Different Light (1986) was more polished than its predecessor and, with the help of the worldwide #1 hit "Walk Like an Egyptian", saw the band firmly in the mainstream as radio and MTV stalwarts.
There was friction among band members after the media began singling out Hoffs as the lead singer of the group. [3]. In 1987, Hoffs starred in a film The Allnighter, which was directed by her mother, Tamar Simon-Hoffs, and was critically panned. That, and the firing of their manager Miles Copeland, further exacerbated the dissent among the band members. [4] But they soon had another #2 hit with a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade Of Winter" from the soundtrack of the film Less Than Zero which they produced on their own.
1988's Everything was another multi-platinum smash and included their biggest selling single in the soft ballad "Eternal Flame" which was inspired by Elvis Presley's eternal flames and one at a local synagogue in Palm Springs which co-writer Billy Steinberg attended. [5]
The working relationships within the band had broken down however, and they split shortly after [3], with Hoffs embarking on a solo career and Vicki Peterson touring as a member of the Go-Go's and the Continental Drifters.
[edit] Bangles go their separate ways
Hoffs released a solo album When You're a Boy, produced by former Bangles producer David Kahne. The album spawned a minor hit "My Side of the Bed", but it stalled, and Hoffs was dropped from Columbia during the recording of her second solo album [6]. The second solo album Susanna Hoffs, released in 1996, fared better critically [7], but it too had disappointing sales. Hoffs married film director Jay Roach (Austin Powers and Meet the Parents), and their union led to the Bangles' reunion of 2000. [7] Vicki Peterson joined and contributed songs to the New Orleans band the Continental Drifters, which received rave reviews. Debbie Peterson had a short-lived career with Siobhan Maher under the name of Kindred Spirit, while Steele lived in semi-retirement in California.
[edit] Bangles join forces again
In 2000, they reformed to tour. The group was also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000. [8] In 2001–2002 they recorded a new album Doll Revolution. A cover version of "Eternal Flame" was a 2001 UK #1 for Atomic Kitten. Doll Revolution, featuring such songs as "Stealing Rosemary", "Ride the Ride", "Nickel Romeo", and the single "Something That You Said", was released in early 2003. The title track was written by Elvis Costello, who initially recorded it for his 2002 album When I Was Cruel. The Japanese version of the album featured as bonus tracks both sides of their debut single. It sold poorly, partly due to lack of promotion, and received mixed reviews.
In 2005, the Bangles announced the departure of Michael Steele. Abby Travis replaced her. [9] On December 31, 2005, they reunited to perform "Hazy Shade of Winter" in front of Times Square and later performed "Eternal Flame" as part of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006. Their first-ever holiday single, Light My Way, is available as a download via iTunes.
[edit] Band members
- Susanna Hoffs - vocals/guitars
- Vicki Peterson - guitars/vocals/bass
- Debbi Peterson - drums/vocals/bass
- Annette Zilinskas - bass/vocals (1982-1983)
- Michael Steele - bass/guitars/vocals (1983-2005)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | US Chart | UK Album Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Bangles (EP) | - | - |
| 1984 | All Over The Place | 80 | 86 |
| 1986 | Different Light | 2 | 3 |
| 1988 | Everything | 15 | 5 |
| 1990 | Greatest Hits | 97 | 4 |
| 2003 | Doll Revolution | - | 62 |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | Notes | |
| US Hot 100 | UK Official Chart | ||||
| 1981 | "Getting Out of Hand" | - | - | Locally released in USA only | |
| 1983 | "The Real World (Remix)" | - | - | The Bangles | Promo-only release in USA only |
| 1984 | "Hero Takes a Fall" | - | 96 | All Over the Place | |
| 1985 | "Going Down to Liverpool" | - | 79 | All Over the Place | |
| 1986 | "Manic Monday" | 2 | 2 | Different Light | Written by "Christopher" (Prince)[2] |
| 1986 | "If She Knew What She Wants" | 29 | 31 | Different Light | |
| 1986 | "Going Down to Liverpool (re-release)" | - | 56 | All Over the Place | UK only |
| 1986 | "Walk Like an Egyptian" | 1 | 3 | Different Light | |
| 1987 | "Walking Down Your Street" | 11 | 16 | Different Light | |
| 1987 | "Following" | - | 55 | Different Light | UK only |
| 1987 | "Hazy Shade of Winter" | 2 | 11 | Less Than Zero soundtrack | |
| 1988 | "In Your Room" | 5 | 35 | Everything | |
| 1988 | "Eternal Flame" | 1 | 1 | Everything | |
| 1989 | "Be with You" | 30 | 23 | Everything | |
| 1989 | "I'll Set You Free (remix)" | - | 74 | Everything | |
| 1990 | "Everything I Wanted" | - | - | Greatest Hits | Continental Europe/Australia only |
| 1990 | "Walk Like an Egyptian (remix)" | - | 73 | Greatest Hits | UK only |
| 1990 | "The Eternal Mix" | - | - | Greatest Hits | Promo only, Spain only |
| 2003 | "Something That You Said" | - | 38 | Doll Revolution | |
| 2003 | "Tear Off Your Own Head" | - | - | Doll Revolution | Continental Europe & Japan only |
| 2003 | "I Will Take Care of You " | - | 74 | Doll Revolution | UK Only |
| 2006 | "Light My Way" | - | - | - | Download Only (iTunes) |
[edit] DVDs, films
| Year | Title | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Haircut | Cameo appearance |
| 1990 | The Bangles - Greatest Hits: Videos (VHS) | |
| 2003 | Doll Revolution Bonus DVD | |
| 2005 | The Bangles - Greatest Hits: Videos (DVD) |
[edit] Trivia
- In 1985, The Bangles contributed 1 song for The Goonies: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: "I Got Nothing"; and also made a small-cameo (appearance) in the Cyndi Lauper's music-video, "Goonies 'R' Good Enough", playing/appearing in small-roles as Pirates aboard "Rowdy" Roddy Pipper's Pirate boat.
- The Bangles are the subject of an irreverent tribute song by The Saw Doctors entitled "I'd Love to Kiss the Bangles".
- Susanna Hoffs is the subject of Robbie Fulks' "That Bangles Girl".
- Appeared on a season one episode of Gilmore Girls entitled "Concert Interruptus" and performed parts of "Hero Takes a Fall" and "Eternal Flame".
- Known as the main test media content for Discretix OMA DRM implementation.
- In July 2004, The Bangles were made Companions of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
- In 2006,The Bangles recorded "Good Day Sunshine" for the kids compilation "All Together Now"
- In 1988 Vicki Petterson and former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent wrote a song together, Called "Make A Play For Her Now"
[edit] References
- ^ The Punkpopmod Archives The Bangs biography. Retrieved: Sept 15, 2006
- ^ a b Greenwald, Matthew. "Manic Monday: The Bangles: Song Review". All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2006-09-08.
- ^ a b Muze UK Ltd, Biography of The Bangles Retrieved: Sept 15, 2006
- ^ The Bangles Collective Biography. Retrieved: Sept 15, 2006
- ^ Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, 500 Nr. 1 hits uit de Top 40, page 261, 9023009444
- ^ nndb.com Biography Susanna Hoffs Retrieved: Sept 15, 2006
- ^ a b BBC Biography The Bangles Retrieved: Sept 15, 2006
- ^ Vocal Hall of Fame The Bangles page. Retrieved: Sept 15, 2006
- ^ theage.com.au "Bangles shake again" Retrieved: Sept 15, 2006
