Balaam and the Angel

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Balaam and the Angel
Origin Birmingham, England
Genre(s) Rock
Gothic rock
Hard rock
Years active 1984 – 1989,
1991 – present
Label(s) Virgin
Website www.myspace.com/balaamandtheangel
Members
Mark Morris
Ian McKean
Jim Morris
Des Morris

Balaam and the Angel are a gothic rock band formed in Cannock, England during 1984.

The three founding members members of the band, the Morris brothers, are Scottish. As children in Motherwell, they worked in the entertainment industry as part of a cabaret act. They moved south to England—to Cannock, Staffordshire—where they formed Balaam and the Angel.

Initially the band self-released a series of EP's via their own Chapter 22 label and played some tour dates opening for The Cult. This saw Balaam and the Angel catch the attention of Virgin Records who signed them and released their debut "The Greatest Story Ever Told" in 1986. They toured in support of it in the United States with Kiss and label mate Iggy Pop.

A second guitarist, and the first non-sibling, Ian McKean, was added to the band in 1988. The band began to move away from gothic rock music styles into a sound that had more in common with hard rock. With their new found style, they recorded the album "Live Free or Die". This was soon followed up in similar style when they recorded "Days of Madness", before being dropped by Virgin Records. Their song "I'll Show You Something Special" is on the Steve Martin and John Candy movie "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" soundtrack.

Contents

[edit] Members

  • Mark Morris - vocals, bass
  • Ian McKean - guitar
  • Jim Morris - guitar, keyboards
  • Des Morris - drums

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Title Date of release
The Greatest Story Ever Told 1986
Live Free or Die 1988
Days of Madness 1989
Prime Time 1993

[edit] EPs

  • World Of Light - (1984)
  • Love Me - (1985)
  • Day and Night - (1985) UK #81
  • She Knows - (1986) UK #70
  • Slow Down - (1986) UK #87
  • No More Innocence - (1991)

[edit] Singles

  • "I Love the Things You Do to Me" - (1987) UK #82
  • "I'll Show You Something Special" - (1987)
  • "Live Free or Die" - (1988) UK #96
  • "I Took a Little" - (1989) UK #93

[edit] Compilation

  • Sun Family - (1987)