The Bangles

Na dann nenn es werbung…

Die Bangles haben das neue album auf eigene faust aufgenommen um jegliche einflußnahme von plattenfirmaheinis o.ä. zu vermeiden obwohl sie angebote von Plattenfirmen hatten. Daher erscheint es auch auf dem band-eigenen Down Kiddie label mit EMI Liberty als vertriebsfirma. Produzent war Brad Wood.

Die Continental Drifters bringen eine neue (alte) CD heraus. Ihr allererstes Album von 1993 das bisher unveröffentlicht war. Das war noch vor Vicki Peterson/Susan Cowsill.

„Doll Revolution“ ist ein feststehender begriff aber auch eine anspielung auf den song von E. Costello den die Bangles gecovert haben.

Was das „brauchen“ angeht, ein konzert bericht von 2000 der das vielleicht beantwortet. War erst das dritte Konzert seit 1989, daher auch noch ein bisschen „shakey“ aber das hatte sich schon 2 – 3 Konzerte später wieder gelegt. Die anderen beiden Konzerte waren *übungskonzerte* unter fremden namen, als Violet Krumble und Liquid Circus.

Copyright SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE PUBLISHING COMPANY Sep 15, 2000

The show hadn’t even started yet, and already the Bangles were playing the tune that fans just love to hear.

„We missed you,“ singer/guitarist Susanna Hoffs told Wednesday’s 4th & B crowd, which responded with appreciative hoots and whistles. It sounded like the usual pop-star hooey, but as the Bangles slammed into „Hazy Shade of Winter,“ the truth rang through loud and as clear as the sound system would allow. The Bangles are truly thrilled to be back, and they were going to make the rest of us sorry we ever let them go.

But the road to reunion legitimacy was not without potholes. The 4th & B show kicked off the Bangles‘ first tour since the band’s 1989 breakup, and there were still a few bugs in the system.

„This is our first real show in 11 years,“ bassist Michael Steele said with a bear-with-us grin, and in addition to being a brave way to open the concert, „Hazy Shade of Winter“ was a great introduction to the slightly bumpy ride ahead.

Featured on the „Less Than Zero“ soundtrack, the Bangles‘ roughed- up version of the Simon and Garfunkel tune has always been one of their best recordings. It is also one of the most demanding songs in their catalog. Thanks to drummer Debbi Peterson’s inspired pounding, the dive-bomb rendition was a potent reminder of the Bangles‘ club- crawling past. But the rich harmonies took a while to congeal, and guitarist Vicki Peterson had trouble nailing the song’s snarling solos. It was all a bit shaky, but the foursome played with such thrashy, garage-band euphoria, you had to love the performance — mangled notes and all.

Clearly tickled by the audience’s rapturous response, the Bangles responded with a 90-minute show whose enthusiasm and chummy camaraderie more than made up for its glitches and misfires. Even when it sounded ragged, it felt right.

With the exception of „Hero Takes a Fall,“ which featured Hoffs‘ weakest vocals of the evening and some surprisingly sluggish playing, the old songs flicked off the cobwebs with finesse. Stripped of their radio-ready gleam but still coddled by those gorgeous group vocals, „If She Knew What She Wants“ and „Eternal Flame“ sounded achingly vulnerable, while Hoffs‘ world-weary vocals on „Manic Monday“ rescued this minor Prince tune from the fluff bin.

And for anyone still harboring incriminating memories of the Bangles‘ big-hair pop phase, the group ripped through don’t-look- back renditions of „Angels Don’t Fall in Love“ and „In Your Room,“ before spiking „Walk Like an Egyptian“ with a few choruses of „Mrs. Robinson.“

Still inspired by the old stuff and excited about the frisky songs they are writing now, the Bangles seem ready to make this reunion tour the start of something new. And judging from the crazy grins on both sides of the stage, we won’t have to wait another 11 years to see how it all turns out.

Karla Peterson can be reached by phone, (619) 293-1275; fax, (619) 293-2436; e-mail (karla.peterson@uniontrib.com); and mail, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191.