The Bangles

The Bangles were originally part of Los Angeles' fabled "Paisley Underground," the loose-knit circle of '80s bands who looked to the late '60s for spiritual inspiration. But while most of their Paisley contemporaries (the Dream Syndicate, the Rain Parade, the Long Ryders, the Three O'Clock) were heavier or more psychedelic, the Bangles drew from the tuneful blasts of the British Invasion, and the classic California harmonies of the Mamas & Papas. The band formed in 1981 after sisters Vicki (guitar) and Debbi Peterson (drums) responded to a classified ad by singer/guitarist Susanna Hoffs. Adding bassist Annette Zilinskas, they named themselves the Bangs (soon changed because another band had the copyright), hit the clubs with a set mixing originals and '60s covers, and released an indie single and an EP. Before signing to Columbia they replaced Zilinskas, who joined the country-punk band Blood on the Saddle, with Michael Steele, who'd briefly been in the pioneering punk band the Runaways. The debut album, 1984's All Over the Place, spoke well both for the band's songwriting (the single "Hero takes a Fall," by Hoffs and Vicki Peterson) and its taste in covers (they borrowed "Goin' Down to Liverpool" from Katrina & the Waves, just before that group hit with "Walking on Sunshine"). Though all four members sang, Hoffs usually sang lead on the singles. For their second album, Different Light, producer David Kahne pushed stronger for hits. The first single, "Manic Monday" was given to them by Prince, who was reportedly crushed on Hoffs. The second single "If She Knew What She Wants" was more characteristic, a folk-rock tune by songwriter Jules Shear-but it was a novelty dance tune, "Walk Like an Egyptian," that gave the Bangles their first Number One in 1987. They had another Top Ten hit the following year with the Simon & Garfunkel song "Hazy Shade of Winter" (pulled from the Less Than Zero soundtrack), which showed off their harmonies. The next album, Everything also aimed for hits, and the ballad "Eternal Flame" became their second Number One. It was however a long way from their '60s roots, and faced with a backlash from their original fans-and their label's attempts to push Hoffs forward as the star of the band-the Bangles broke up after touring the album in summer 1988. Hoffs made two solo albums and Vicki Peterson joined the roots-rock supergroup, the Continental Drifters and briefly replaced the pregnant Charlotte Caffey in the Go-Gos. It took a '60s-inspired project, namely the second Austin Powers movie The Spy Who Shagged Me, to bring the Bangles back together in 1998. They recorded "Get the Girl" for the soundtrack and followed that with a string of live dates, then the reunion album Doll Revolution with a latter-day Elvis Costello song as its title track. Michael Steele left soon afterward and they officially remained a trio, adding Los Angeles power pop mainstay Derrick Anderson as their usual live bassist. Hoffs also made a string of covers albums with Matthew Sweet, who coproduced and played on their second reunion disc Sweetheart of the Sun. The Bangles played a Paisley Underground reunion show in 2013, and in 2016 celebrated the release of a CD of early tracks (Ladies & Gentlemen, The Bangles!) by playing in Los Angeles in the original lineup with Zilinskas.