The Bangles spent the 80s as one of the biggest and popular bands during that decade. Originally starting off in California as a three-woman band known as the Bangs, the trio of women, consisted of sisters, drummer Debbi Peterson and lead guitarist Vicki Peterson (born August 22nd, 1961 and January 11th, 1958, respectively) and rhythm guitarist Susanna Hoffs (January 17th, 1959). The Bangs recorded their first single, "Getting Out of Hand," in 1981. The response to the single made it a necessity for the band to hire a bassist. The first bassist for the Bangs was Annette Zilinskas (November 6th, 1964). The band garnered acclaim playing small clubs in the early 1980s and soon signed on with Miles Copeland. Miles Copeland offered the band a chance to make an EP for I.R.S. Records/Faulty Products. An East Coast band known as the Bangs found out about the Los Angeles Bangs and decided to threaten a lawsuit if the band wouldn't stop using the Bangs name.
The Bangs became the Bangles, avoiding the lawsuit, but delaying the EP. The EP was released in 1983 and soon the Bangles were making television appearances, promoting the release.
In 1983, the Bangles were offered a deal at Columbia Records, but one member would not press on with the group. Annette left in 1983 and joined her boyfriend's band, Blood on the Saddle. Former Runaways member, Michael Steele (June 2nd, 1954) was soon added as the new bassist and locked the Bangles' lineup in place.
The first release from Columbia Records was the album All Over the Place, which boasted eleven songs, including the classic Bangles singles, "Hero Takes A Fall," and "Going Down To Liverpool." "Hero Takes A Fall" brought the Bangles to the attention of famous songwriter and singer, Prince.
Prince ended up submitting a song, "Manic Monday" to the Bangles for their next project. That project, Different Light sent the band to a brand new stratosphere. Two of the singles from the album hit it big on the Billboard Charts in 1986. "Manic Monday" went to the number two spot in April of '86 and by year's end, "Walk Like an Egyptian" shot to the number one spot for four weeks. Other singles from the album were "If She Knew What She Wants" and "Walking Down Your Street."
"Hazy Shade of Winter," a Simon and Garfunkel song became the band's next effort for the Less Than Zero soundtrack. That song reached number two in 1988.
The Bangles recorded one last album in the 1980s before tensions broke them up. That album, Everything hit the #15 spot and contained two more hit singles, "In Your Room" and "Eternal Flame." The latter song hit the top position on the Billboard charts and gave the Bangles their second number one hit.
The band broke up in 1989, when the relationships between the four women started to deteriorate. The Bangles wouldn't reunite until almost a decade.
In the nearly ten years that the Bangles were apart, Susanna Hoffs went on to do two solo albums, 1991's When You're A Boy and 1996's Susanna Hoffs. Hoffs got married to film director Jay Roach and had two children in the 1990s. Debbi Peterson released an album with Siobhan Maher of the River City People. The duo was known as Kindred Spirit and their eponymous album came out in 1995. Debbi and her husband, Steve Botting, had a child in 1997 and are currently expecting a new baby in 2004. Vicki Peterson played with New Orleans-based band The Continental Drifters and that band put out three albums, 1994's Continental Drifters, 1999's Vermilion and 2001's Better Day. Michael played with a band called Crash Wisdom during the Bangles' long hiatus.
The band reunited after Debbi and Susanna had their children at around the same time. The pair started writing together again and soon, Vicki joined them in the renewed collaboration. The trio wrote a song, "Get the Girl," that ended up on the second Austin Powers soundtrack. Michael rejoined the band and soon the Bangles were playing sold-out shows and a Beatles tribute. VH1 featured the foursome on their critically acclaimed Behind the Music series.
The Bangles worked up enough new songs to do a brand mew album and proceeded to record it in 2002. The Bangles released that album, Doll Revolution in September of 2003. The new album was their first in fifteen years and featured an Elvis Costello cover, "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)" and the first single, "Something That You Said."
The band continues to play shows and are working on new material.
Bio written by: Valentine |
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