Bangles

1981.Thanks to an ad in the Los Angeles paper, The Recycler, four women would join together and form one of the more popular bands of the '80's. The ad, placed by Susanna Hoffs (January 17,1959) attracted the attention of sisters Vicki (January 11,1958) and Debbi (August 22,1961) Peterson and the three hit it off. They formed a band named the Colours, then changed it to the Supersonic Bangs, then just the Bangs. While they were the Bangs, they added their fourth member, Annette Zilinskas (1964).

Just prior to this, the Bangs released two songs under their Faulty Records label. "Getting Out Of Hand" and "Call On Me." However, the band was about to go through quite a few changes. The first and foremost change was that of the band name. Another band was already using the name The Bangs and threatened to sue the women if they kept using the name. So they changed their name to the BANGLES.

The Bangles released a song before their EP was released; it was the song "No Mag Commercial." The Bangles EP gained attention for the girls, most notably from Sony Music's Columbia label. The songs on the EP were "The Real World", "I'm In Line", "Want You", "Mary Street" and "How Is The Air Up There?"  The four women each played a different instrument. Susanna Hoffs played rhythm guitar and sang vocals, Debbi Peterson played drums and sang vocals, Vicki Peterson played lead guitar and sang vocals and Annette Zilinskas played harmonica, bass and sang backing vocals.

Between the EP and the debut album from Columbia Records, there were yet more changes and another song, "Bitchen Summer", which was included on a Rodney on the Roq compilation. The biggest change was in personnel, gone was bassist Annette Zilinskas who joined Blood On The Saddle and in was Michael (Micki) Steele (June 2,1954), former Runaways lead singer. The foursome became the group's permanent and most well known lineup: Susanna Hoffs on guitar, Debbi Peterson on drums, Vicki Peterson on lead guitar and Michael Steele on bass, all sang vocals.

The group's efforts resulted in the album All Over the Place that spawned two college radio hits: "Hero Takes A Fall" and "Going Down To Liverpool." The other songs were: "Live", "James", "All About You", "Dover Beach", "Tell Me", "Restless", "He's Got A Secret", "Silent Treatment" and "More Than Meets The Eye". It was the video for "Hero Takes A Fall" that caught the eye of Christopher who would write "Manic Monday" for the Bangles' next album. Christopher was of course, the artist once known as Prince, who was reportedly interested in Susanna. The single version of "Hero Takes A Fall" was different than the album version and had an additional song, the Grass Roots' "Where Were You When I Needed You".

The other interesting video was the "Going Down To Liverpool" video which featured Leonard Nimoy and was directed by Susanna's mother Tamar Hoffs.

Between All Over The Place and their next effort, Different Light, the Bangles had contributed a song to the soundtrack of  "The Goonies" called "I Got Nothing." The next album was rushed into production and a third of the songs had no contributions from the Bangles, while the other eight songs had input from the four women. Different Light was released in 1985 with twelve songs on the album, including a cover version of Big Star's "September Gurls", "Angels Don't Fall In Love", "Not Like You", "Following", "Standing In The Hallway", "Return Post" and "In A Different Light". The tune, "Let It Go", which has the distinction of being the only song that all four Bangles had written together was also included on Different Light. Then there were the four hits, "Manic Monday"(#2,1986), Jules Shear's "If She Knew What She Wants"(#29,1986), Liam Sternberg's "Walk Like An Egyptian"(#1,1986-1987) and "Walking Down Your Street"(#11,1987). Of the four hits, only one had a Bangles songwriting credit and that was "Walking Down Your Street", which Susanna had co-written.

The Bangles were on a successful ride to the top and their next song was also huge, it was a cover version of Paul Simon's "Hazy Shade Of Winter"(#2,1988). The song was included on the soundtrack of "Less Than Zero".

In 1988, the Bangles next album, Everything was released. Everything on Everything was written or co-written by a Bangle. The songs on this album were: "Complicated Girl", "Bell Jar", "Something To Believe In", "Glitter Years", "I'll Set You Free", "Watching The Sky", " Some Dreams Come True", "Make A Play For Her Now", "Waiting For You" and " Crash And Burn". Other songs included were "In Your Room"(#5,1988), "Eternal Flame"(#1,1989) and "Be With You"(#30,1989). Susanna had a hand in writing both "In Your Room" and "Eternal Flame". At this point in the Bangles nearly ten-year career, the four needed a break from each other, as the media focused on Susanna, internal tensions caused the band to cut short their world tour and the Bangles disbanded on September 21,1989.

Along with the single to "Eternal Flame" was a new track called "What I Meant To Say" which is only found with that single.

By 1990, it was over for the Bangles as a band and they would release no new albums. However, it looked like in the span of five years, the Bangles had amassed enough hits to compile on a Greatest Hits package. Greatest Hits included: "Hero Takes A Fall"(remix)and "Going Down To Liverpool"(from All Over The Place), "Manic Monday", "If She Knew What She Wants", "Walk Like An Egyptian", "Walking Down Your Street"(remix) and "Following"(a hit in the UK) were pulled  from Different Light . "Hazy Shade Of Winter"(remix) from "Less Than Zero" was included along with "In Your Room", "Eternal Flame", "Be With You" and "I'll Set You Free"(remix) were taken from Everything. "Everything I Wanted" was the only new song, one that didn?t make the cut for Everything. The final song was "Where Were You When I Needed You" which was previously available on the "Hero Takes A Fall" single.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the four women took different paths in their career. The first ex-Bangle to resurface was Susanna Hoffs. Hoffs returned in 1991 with her solo album, When You're A Boy. The biggest hit from the album was "My Side Of The Bed"(#30,1991), significant songs on the album were Cyndi Lauper's "Unconditional Love" and "Only Love". Hoffs also made several soundtrack appearances between 1991 and 1995.

The next Bangle to surface was Vicki Peterson with help from Michael Steele on the premiere effort by the Continental Drifters in 1994. Their self-titled first album won critical acclaim. Vicki was a member of the regular band, while Michael is listed as an auxiliary Drifter in the credits. Peterson wrote and performed the tune "Mixed Messages" on the album and also sang lead on "Some Of Shelly's Blues". It was during this time that Peterson had joined Susan Cowsill in The Psycho Sisters, before they both became Drifters. Vicki had also played with the Go-Go's, replacing Charlotte Caffey temporarily.

Debbi Peterson surfaced in the band Kindred Spirit in 1995 with Siobhan Maher. Peterson wrote quite a few songs for their album including "Ask Me No Questions" and "Here In My Eyes". Debbi mentions her sister Vicki in the album credits.

1996 was the year that Susanna released her second album, called Susanna Hoffs  which got good reviews but suffered due to limited airplay. Significant tracks on this album were "Beekeeper's Blues"(the single that never came out) and "All I Want"(#77-1996). Hoffs made a couple of soundtrack appearances during this period as well, most notably two appearances on the soundtrack for her husband's movie, "Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery." She sang "The Look Of  Love" and also co-wrote the song "BBC" for the Austin Powers band, Ming Tea of which she was a part. Susanna also joined Lilith Fair in 1997 and contributed a version of her old Bangles hit "Eternal Flame" to the Lilith album.

All the Bangles had kept a pretty low profile in 1998. Vicki's band , The Continental Drifters had released a second album in Germany called Vermilion, but that was about it, except for a November concert in  New York where both Michael Steele and Vicki Peterson had played.

By February 1999, rumors were flying about a possible Bangles reunion. It seemed that Susanna Hoffs , Vicki Peterson and her sister Debbi were collaborating again. However, the women said that the reunion would not happen unless Michael Steele was also involved.

At the beginning of June, the second Austin Powers movie, again directed by Jay Roach, Susanna's husband was set to come out. Sources said that the Bangles had a song in the score of the film and it was a brand new one. The track "Get The Girl" was written by Susanna, Debbi and Vicki. It was true, the Bangles, all of them had reunited.

"Get The Girl" had not been included in the initial soundtrack to the movie because it was completed too late for inclusion. However, a second soundtrack is scheduled to come out in October and the Bangles song is said to be included. It is also rumored that the Bangles have been writing new material together and planning a new album for release during summer 2000. The Bangles also played a concert on June 26th, at a tribute to the Beatles.

Vermilion by the Continental Drifters is also set to hit America in October. Vicki  has songs on the album and is still a member of the band, who will be doing a few tour dates.October 26th has come and passed...but more Bangles news was received at this time.The Bangles are reportedly heading to the studios in January 2000 to record an album for possible release in June 2000.There are also reports of a tour and a new Susanna Hoffs album.

With the news of The Bangles reunion, we see that the girls are busier than ever, trying to make the effort work and also trying to keep their other options open. With the band back together though, we can be sure to expect more pop gems from the ladies known as The Bangles. The Bangles have recently split with their management at Gold Mountain Entertainment and Tim Anctil who was Susanna's manager also. They have instead signed on with Tsunami Entertainment which reports that the Bangles will have a big announcement at the end of July 2000. On July 18th, 2000, the Bangles announced their plans for a brief club tour that kicked off on September 13th in San Diego.The Bangles also announced that they were going to be preparing a new album and would do a full scale tour in 2001. Vicki Peterson is still keeping busy with the Continental Drifters and has written some new material for them which I have gotten to hear at a show they did on June 7th. The Bangles have also been honored by the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame which will induct them this October, they are the first band from the eighties to be inducted into this Museum. The Bangles completed a very successful mini-tour this October and are supposed to be in the studio recording for their new album at this time. The Bangles previewed a number of new songs during this tour and the titles of these include: "Ride The Ride," "Stealing Rosemary," "I Will Take Care Of You," "Between The Two" and "Here Right Now." The Bangles are said to have writeen up to thirty new songs and all of them are eligible for the new album...now due sometime in spring 2001.The Bangles seemed happier than ever and the crowds were definitely happy to see them again. It can definitely be said that The Bangles are indeed back. Welcome home girls.

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