The Bangles - Biography
By Scott Feemster
The Bangles are best known as one of the most popular female rock and pop bands of the 1980s, but they actually got their start as a scrappy 1960s-influenced garage band in the Los Angeles Paisley Underground scene of the early ‘80s. The Bangles scored several hit singles in the ‘80s before breaking up at the end of the decade. They later reformed in the 2000’s.
Originally, singer/guitarist Susanna Hoffs, who was raised on the Westside of Los Angeles, met singer/guitarist Vicki Peterson and her younger sister singer/drummer Debbi Peterson on the fringes of the scene that was soon to become known as the Paisley Underground. LA’s Paisley Underground scene was made up of a loose confederation of bands that mixed influences from ‘60’s-era folk and psychedelic bands with a more modern, post-punk feel. Bands in the scene included The Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, The Three O’Clock, and Green On Red, as well as the band Hoffs and the Peterson sisters would form. Originally called The Colours, the group changed their name to The Supersonic Bangs and then shortened it to just The Bangs. Right away, the trio had a unique sound that was heavily influenced by British bands of the ‘60s combined with power-pop influences like the Raspberries and Big Star, all laid over with the girl’s harmony vocals that recalled The Mamas & the Papas. The group released their debut single “Getting Out of Hand” on their own DownKiddie Records label in 1981, which garnered a lot of attention around Los Angeles after being played on Rodney Bingenheimer’s influential KROQ radio show. The band signed with the start-up Faulty Products record label, a label co-owned by Police manager and IRS Records owner Miles Copeland. At around the same time, the trio became a quartet with the addition of bassist/vocalist Annette Zilinskas.
The group recorded and released the debut EP Bangles (Faulty Products) in 1982, but soon after the release they ran into legal problems with their name, The Bangs. The band decided to drop the “The” from their name and elongated “Bangs” into Bangles. The EP was re-released in 1983 (IRS) with the band’s new name and a single from the album, “The Real World,” became a modest hit on modern rock and college radio. Faulty Products folded soon after the release of the EP, but distribution was picked up by Copeland’s other company, IRS Records. Bassist Zilinskas left the group in 1983 to found the LA cow-punk band Blood on the Saddle, and was replaced by Michael Steele – a latter day member of the pioneering all-female rock band The Runaways.
The new line-up of the Bangles signed with Columbia Records, releasing their debut album All Over the Place in 1984. The album was more slickly produced than their debut EP, but it still clearly showed the band’s deep love for power-pop and the harmonies of the late ‘60s. The group scored modest success with two singles from the album, “Hero Takes the Fall” and “Going Down to Liverpool,” and garnered further notice with the video for “Going Down to Liverpool,” which starred the band alongside Leonard Nimoy. Because of the band’s love for ‘60’s-flavored pop songs, the group attracted the attention of Prince. After meeting the group, Prince proposed the idea of writing a song for their next album. That song, “Manic Monday,” was included on the group’s next album, 1985’s Different Light (Columbia), and became number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Different Light was much more lushly produced than the band’s previous output, utilizing synthesizers and additional session musicians on some tracks. The album seemed to represent a conscious effort to push the group towards a more mainstream audience. The tactic worked; not only did the Bangles have a hit with “Manic Monday,” but they also scored another smash hit with the follow-up single “Walk Like an Egyptian.” The album and the attending videos for the singles turned the women into bona fide pop stars and made them the inspiration for many aspiring female rockers.
The group toured successfully in support of Different Light and then recorded a rocking version of the Simon & Garfunkel tune “A Hazy Shade of Winter” for the soundtrack to the 1987 film Less Than Zero. The song charted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. At around the same time, Hoffs started her acting career and appeared in a low-budget film called The Allnighter. Though all of the members of the band sang and wrote songs, it was clear that extra attention was being paid to the diminutive Hoffs, as most of the successful singles were songs that she sang. With the added extra attention paid to her from her fledgling acting career, tensions were starting to flare within the band. Though it was still a slickly produced album, 1988’s Everything (Columbia) was a little closer in sound and spirit to the band’s earlier work, and the group scored another big hit with singles “Eternal Flame” and “In Your Room.” Both singles feature Hoffs singing, and it was clear by now that the record company wanted her as the group’s leader and main focus. What was started as a democracy among the members of the band was now being split apart by outside forces. After touring in support for Everything, the Bangles split up in 1989.
Hoffs went on to record two poorly-selling solo albums, When You’re a Boy (Columbia) in 1991 and Susanna Hoffs (London Records) in 1996. In 1993, Hoffs married noted film director Jay Roach and they started a family. She also formed the fictional ‘60’s band Ming Tea, along with Matthew Sweet and Mike Myers, for Myers’ movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (directed by Hoffs’ husband, Jay Roach). Vicki Peterson moved to New Orleans and became a member of the band the Continental Drifters, an all-star amalgamation of musicians that at one time included former members of the dB's, The Cowsills, and The Dream Syndicate. Debbi Peterson formed a short-lived band called Kindred Spirit, and also married and started a family. Michael Steele moved to Northern California, did some recording and painting, and basically stayed out of the limelight.
Years later, after much convincing from Hoffs, the Bangles met up again in 1999, and recorded the song “Get the Girl,” which was included on the soundtrack for the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (also directed by Roach). The group was able to get over many of the difficulties they had had with each other in the ‘80s and launched a reunion tour in 2000. The group followed up the reunion tour with a new album, 2003’s Doll Revolution (Koch), which marked a return to their trademark ‘60’s sound. Though the album received mostly positive reviews, it failed to sell well in the US, UK, and Australia, but was a big hit in both Japan and Germany. Regardless, the group toured in support of the album, and continue to make live appearances and embark on mini-tours. They released their first live DVD, Return to Bangleonia - Live in Concert (Koch), in 2007. Michael Steele decided to leave the band in 2005, and was replaced on live dates by bassist and vocalist Abby Travis. In 2008, Travis was let go from the band and was replaced by bassist Derrick Anderson. As of yet, there is no word on whether the band plans to release any more new material.