The Bangles

The Bangles

“I think your final few years in your 20s, there’s always some crazy stuff going on in your head.”

~Susanna Hoffs

Ups and Downs
Michael Holloway

 

 

The Bangles career began in 1981, around the time The Go-Go’s were
enjoying fame and success. The Bangles were a popular part of the local Paisley Underground; a revivalist movement dedicated to paying homage to the music of the 60s.

Susanna Hoffs

Susanna Hoffs auditioned to play with the Peterson

sisters.  They formed the band The Bangles.

 

Shortly after the murder of John Lennon, on December 8 1980, Susanna Hoffs was shellshocked over the senseless and brutal act, which took the life of her musical idol. While reading LA newspaper The Recycler one day, Hoffs came across an advertisement by two sisters, the Petersons, who were looking for someone to join a band they wished to form. The all-girl band they envisioned would take influences from classic bands like The Beatles, and forge their own music, writing and playing original tunes with a 60s flavour.

Debbi and Vicky Peterson were
the idea people behind The
Colours, The Supersonic Bangs,
and The Bangs…which trans-
formed into The Bangles.

Michael Steele played with The
Runaways before she joined
The Bangles.

Hoffs was referred to as the
lead singer in The Bangles.
Vicki and Debbi Peterson

Vicki and Debbi Peterson spoke with Hoffs on the phone where they shared their reflections on Lennon’s death. Realizing that they had much in common, Hoffs and the Petersons met and there was a strong chemistry. The group first called themselves The Colours, then The Supersonic Bangs, which they shortened to The Bangs. A group who had established a prior claim to that name threatened legal action, so The Bangs became The Bangles. The Bangles signed to Columbia in 1983 (with bass player Annette Zalinskas, too).

Zalinskas left the band shortly after The Bangles released an early EP. She wanted to sing lead, while the other band members had already established vocals would be divided among the band members.

Michael Steele

While interviewing new bassists, Vicki Peterson was highly impressed with Michael Steele, formerly of The Runaways (a shortlived stint), when Steele imagined her ideal band to be something akin to The Yardbirds with Fairport Convention vocals. Steele was immediately hired, but she had joined the band too late to be featured as a main vocalist on the album already in production, All Over The Place, though her strong bass licks are prominent on songs like Tell Me and All About You.

Steele would have to wait until the sophomore album “Different Light” to have her distinctly sultry, moody personality shine amongst Hoffs perky
wistfulness, Vicki’s salty kick-assness, and Debbi’s romantic longing.

Media Darling

After the band’s third studio album, Everything, cracks had begun to appear in the seemingly idyllic relationship between the four women. Although it was not her intention, Hoffs had become the media darling because her songs and videos were featured heavily on radio and television.

She was being labelled as the lead singer, which in fact was not true. The Bangles had always shared vocals between the members unlike The Go-Go’s whose songs were all sung by Belinda Carlisle.

Hoffs said in a recent interview, “Because our hits had heavily featured my vocals, there was a perception that I was the lead singer of The Bangles, and that was never really the case. That was definitely one of the elements that drove us apart. It was this little sore point in our existence, and in many ways, I think your final few years in your 20s, there’s always some crazy stuff going on in your head. Being on the road, I felt really lonely, and worried, and nervous, and ungrounded, you know. I started dreaming of being at home, away from all this pressure, all this travel, and I think all of us were experiencing that in different ways. I hit a point where I had to get off the treadmill.”

Going Their Seperate Ways

The Bangles decided to get off the treadmill and go their separate ways. Hoffs released two solo albums, loved by fans, but sadly ignored by critics. Vicki joined The Continental Drifters with soon-to-be sister-in-law Susan Cowsill.

Debbi formed a duo with The Go-Go’s Gina Schock and when that pairing didn’t work out as planned, Debbi reformed the act with Siobhan Maher of the River City People.

Steele played with other bands but has never released any solo projects outside The Bangles, although a demo recording of her stint with The Runaways is now available, though the sound quality is wretched.

Reunited

In 2003, The Bangles reunited for a fourth album, Doll Revolution, a stellar album which showed the band had lost none of their zest. However, in 2004, Steele left the band for unknown personal reasons and her position was filled by the lovely and talented Abby Travis (pictured below), also a much-loved and respected solo artist. Although not yet an official member, Travis adds a lot of spice to the group with her bass skills, and will hopefully get to record somel ead vocals in future Bangles projects.

Australian Tour

In 2005 The Bangles embarked on a very successful Australian tour (which I was fortunate enough to have seen). As far as recent and future projects, The Bangles are reportedly working on new material with their new line-up which will hopefully be unveiled in 2009 sometime.

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