Ladies and Gentlemen... The Bangles!

by Bangles

Overview

Before they were the Bangles, Susanna Hoffs and the Peterson sisters, Vicki and Debbi, were known as the Bangs. They didn't play power ballads, do novelty songs, or pout at the camera from underneath giant hairdos. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's quite a contrast with the punky, punky garage pop with loads of vocal harmonies they played and their brilliantly retro visual style. As a trio they recorded a single in 1981, "Getting Out of Hand"/"Call on Me," then with the addition of bassist Annette Zilinskas and a name change, they put out a five-song, self-titled EP on I.R.S. Records offshoot Faulty Products that had great songs, energetic performances, widescreen vocal harmonies, and enough zip to impress garage rock mavens, jangle pop devotees, tie-dyed-in-the-wool paisley undergrounders, and pretty much anyone with a working set of ears. After the EP's release, Zilinskas left the band, ex-Runaway Michael Steele joined, they signed to Columbia, and they were quickly, almost completely, chewed up by the music industry. Ladies and Gentlemen...the Bangles! is a collection put together by the Bangles that focuses on their formative years, gathering up their first single, the Bangles EP, a surf instrumental released on Rodney on the ROQ, Vol. 3 in 1982, and a handful of rarities. Demo versions of the EP's lead song "The Real World" and the single's B-side "Call on Me" show that they didn't need much studio polish to sound like a great rock & roll band, and their demo takes on the Turtles' "Outside Chance" and Paul Revere & the Raiders' "Steppin' Out" are scrappy and prove that the band could have made a solid living doing nothing but garage covers like a Day-Glo Fuzztones. An ad for No Mag and a radio show theme are nice little treasures and the two live tracks from 1984 with Steele in the band sound tough and raw, especially their thrashing take on Love's "7 & 7 Is." The well-chosen collection is a perfect glimpse of the band before it left the garage behind and made the big leap out of the kiddie pool, losing a big chunk of its exuberance and energy along the way. Part cautionary tale, part necessary excavation, Ladies and Gentlemen is a vital piece of the '80s musical puzzle and essential listening for Bangles fans, especially those who have never heard their early work before. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	06/24/2016
Label:	Omnivore
UPC:	0816651014415

Tracks

1. Bitchen Summer/Speedway
2. Getting Out of Hand
3. Call on Me
4. The Real World
5. I'm in Line
6. Want You
7. Mary Street
8. How Is the Air Up There?
9. Outside Chance [Demo Version]
10. Steppin' Out [Demo Version]
11. The Real World [Demo Version]
12. Call On Me [Demo Version]
13. Tell Me [Live]
14. 7 & 7 Is [Live]
15. No Mag Commercial
16. The Rock & Roll Alternative Program Theme Song

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Bangles   Primary Artist
Debbi Peterson   Vocals,Bass,Drums
Susanna Hoffs   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Rhythm)
Craig Leon   Piano
Vicki Peterson   Bass,Guitar,Vocals
Ethan James   Piano
Michael Steele   Bass
Annette Zilinskas   Bass,Harmonica

Technical Credits

Ewa Wojclak   Project Assistant
Paul Revere   Composer
Susanna Hoffs   Composer,Group Member
Bill Inglot   Project Assistant
Cheryl Pawelski   Project Assistant
Craig Leon   Producer
Greg Allen   Design,Art Direction
David Roback   Composer
Gavin Lurssen   Project Assistant
Vicki Peterson   Composer,Group Member
Ethan James   Engineer
Caryl McGowen   Project Assistant
Debbi Peterson   Composer,Group Member
Mark Lindsay   Composer
Artie Kornfeld   Composer
Dave Jenkins   Project Assistant
Steve Duboff   Composer
The Bangles   Composer
Warren Zevon   Composer
Michael Steele   Group Member
Arthur Lee   Composer
Reuben Cohen   Project Assistant
Lee Lodyga   Project Assistant
Annette Zilinskas   Group Member
Dave Peterson   Mastering,Cover Photo
Audrey Bilger   Project Assistant
Dutch Cramblitt   Project Assistant
Brad Rosenberger   Project Assistant
John Calacci   Project Assistant