The Angels
There are three artists with this name
1. An Australian rock band
2. An American girl group best known for "My Boyfriend's Back", a #1 hit in the United States in 1963
3. An American R&B group
none of these are to be confused with any of the artists called Angels, without the definite article.
(1) The Angels (Australia)
USA as Angel City (1980-1985), The Angels from Angel City (1988-1989), The Angels (1992).
In November 1970, brothers Rick and John Brewster formed The Moonshine Jug and String Band. In 1971 the band was joined by Irish immigrant Bernard "Doc" Neeson.
The band in 1973 released their debut EP Keep You on the Move, which made the top 5 in Adelaide. This was followed in 1974 by the single "That's All Right With Me". Both these releases were on John Woodruff's Sphere label. Woodruff went on to become the band's manager for most of its career.
In 1974 they changed their name to The Keystone Angels, switched to electric instruments and began playing 1950s rock and roll on the pub circuit.
In 1975, the band supported AC/DC during a South Australian tour, and later performed as the backing band for Chuck Berry.
In 1975, the band was offered a recording deal with the Alberts label and became The Angels. As this point the band was a four-piece with Neeson on bass guitar, Charlie King (Peter Christopolous) on drums, Rick Brewster on lead guitars and John Brewster on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. The band recorded “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again” and was released on Rocka album.
The Angels' first single, “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again”, was released in April 1976. The Angels made their debut TV appearance on Countdown. Later in the year, Charlie King was replaced by Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup on the drums.
Chris Bailey and Bon Scott were members of Mount Lofty Rangers in 1974. They released Round and Round, later remixed by Vince Lovegrove as Round and Round and Round in 1996.
Chris Bailey joined the band on bass, to allow Neeson to concentrate on vocals. The move to specialist frontman allowed the band to develop an energetic and theatrical live presence. As a foil, Rick Brewster would remain motionless, his head cocked to one side, for the entire performance.
July of 1977, saw the release of the band's second single, "You're A Lady Now", followed a month later by their self-titled debut LP, The Angels
In August 1978, Face to Face album reached #16 in November and stayed on the Australian charts for 79 weeks. Mark Opitz engineered, and along with The Angels, co-produced the album.
Peter Ledger, who designed the cover, won Best Australian Album Cover Design Award. In November 1978, the band www.bowiedownunder.com/artistconnections/theangels.jpg supported David Bowie on his first Australian tour, resulting in The Tour EP single.
In June 1979, No Exit entered the Australian album chart at #8 upon its release and again at #15 in September. George Young contributed as a backing vocalist to Out of The Blue. In October 1979, Albert released the Out Of The Blue EP.
On New Year's Eve 1979, the band performed in front of almost 100,000 people on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. Their show, however, was cut short when a riot broke out in the audience. Doc Neeson was hit on the head with a sign and Chris Bailey was knocked unconscious by a flying bottle and hospitalised.
In March 1980, the band signed an international contract with CBS Records and released, Face to Face, a compilation of tracks from the Australian Face to Face and No Exit albums, on the Epic label. The band renamed themselves as Angel City to avoid confusion with "Angel" in the USA .
In June 1980, Dark Room, produced by the Brewster brothers, The overseas version of this album featured re-recorded versions of "Ivory Stairs" and "Straight Jacket" in place of "Alexander" and "I'm Scared". American band Great White would later cover "Face The Day", from this LP as well as "Can't Shake It" from Face to Face.
In March 1981, drummer Graham Bidstrup left the band, reportedly due to non-musical differences, and was replaced by New Zealander Brent Eccles.
In October 1981, Never So Live EP, received heavy airplay and on the strength of the new song "Fashion And Fame" went to sell some 80,000 copies. In November 1981 Night Attack, produced by Ed Thacker and the Brewsters.
The band's third international album, Night Attack Early in 1982, American Jim Hilbun was recruited as replacement for Chris Bailey.
In May 1983, Watch The Red, produced by The Angels and engineered by Andrew Scott and Al Wright, was issued. The first single "Stand Up" was release and was written by Hilbun, was a success.
The album, critically acclaimed for its musical inventiveness, featured saxophone leads from Hilbun, John Brewster on lead vocals for one track, and even a piano accordion.
In November 1984, the Two Minute Warning album was released following a three-month recording session in Los Angeles. The American version of the album, on MCA, included a new version of "Be With You". Metal Blade Records re-issued the album in 1990.
John Brewster left the band in February 1986. In his place, the band hired ex-Skyhooks guitarist Bob Spencer in March 1986.
In October of the same year Howling was released on the band's new label Mushroom Records. This album included a cover version of The Animals hit, "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" which, at #6, became the band's highest charting single up to that point.
In December 1987, the double live album Liveline was released. The collection spanned ten years of the band's career. The CD version of Liveline included several songs not included on the vinyl release. A live version of "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again" was issued as a single.
Following the success of the album, The Angels embarked on a massive tour of Australia with a lengthy two-hour set that covered the entire history of the group.
In November of 1989, Chrysalis Records in the US issued Beyond Salvation (known as The Angels From Angel City).
It included four new songs, three of which would later appear on the Australian version of the album, and new recordings of the classics "I Ain't The One", "Can't Shake It", "Who Rings The Bell", "City Out of Control" and "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again", none of which was made available in Australia.
Alan Niven was signed on as manager of the band's affairs in the US. At the time, Niven was also managing Great White and Guns N' Roses.
Jim Hilbun left during these recording sessions and was replaced by Australian James Morley on bass.
In February 1990, Beyond Salvation was released and became the band's first and only No. 1 album. Produced by Terry Manning, the LP spawned five successful singles, including "Dogs are Talking" and "Backstreet Pickup".
The flipside of "Dogs are Talking" featured demo tracks by three new Australian bands that The Angels had chosen to support them on their upcoming tour, including The Desert Cats, The Hurricanes and the John Woodruff-managed Baby Animals.
The Angels then hit the road on their "Beyond Salvation" Tour with Cheap Trick as supporting act. The video for "Backstreet Pickup" was filmed the day the band were told of the album reaching number one on the charts and shows a very buoyant and enthusiastic band performing for the cameras.
in November of 1991, Red Back Fever, were recorded in Memphis. The band toured for two years, and the song "Tear Me Apart" was included a multi-million dollar government campaign highlighting alcohol related violence.
In July 1992 Mushroom re-issued Red Back Fever / Left Hand Drive as a two CD set. In 1992, both Bob Spencer and James Morley left the band. John Brewster and Jim Hilbun to return, and thus the classic line-up of Brewster-Neeson-Brewster-Eccles-Hilbun was reunited. They immediately set out to write new material.
In December 1994, Evidence a career-spanning collection of the band's hits. In April 1995, The Hard Evidence Tour EP was issued to coincide with the Barbed Wire Ball tour, a national tour that also featured The Screaming Jets and The Poor.
The band then took a break from recording and touring, reconvening in mid-1996 at Darling Harbour studios for the start of what would become the sessions for their last studio album.
In July 1997, The Angels hit the road with The Lounge Lizard Tour with Angry Anderson from Rose Tattoo and Ross Wilson from Mondo Rock and Daddy Cool. The band backed each singer acoustically through classics from their respective bands.
In August 1997, The Angels signed a recording deal with Shock Records in Australia. In October, "Caught in the Night" was the band first single from the album.
In March 1998, Skin and Bone a moderately successful, the album was nominated by ARIA as one of the year's best Australian recordings.
In October 1998, The Angels were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame by Angry Anderson. In November 1998 the band performed a brief set at the Concert of the Century in Melbourne to celebrate Mushroom Records' 25th anniversary.
After suffering severe neck and spinal injuries in a horrific car accident in 1999, Doc Neeson announced his departure from the band.
In November 2000, Shock Records reissued Left Hand Drive, previously released by Mushroom in 1992 as a limited-edition collection of unreleased versions and B-sides.
In March of 2001, The Angels reformed as Members of The Angels with John and Rick Brewster, Buzz Bidstrup, Chris Bailey and Jim Hilbun on lead vocals, in March of 2001, for the Gimme Ted - The Ted Mulry Benefit Concert (released on video as Gimme Ted).
In June 2002, Shock Records issued The Complete Sessions 1980-1983, 4-CD box set collection of the band's recorded output from the period between the Dark Room and Watch the Red albums.
In December 2006, Live at The Basement containing all the classics with Brewster, Bailey, Bidstrup and Brewster.
In July 2006, Liberation reissued the The Angels' catalogue. Albums included: Dark Room, Night Attack, Watch the Red, Two Minute Warning, Howling, Beyond Salvation, Red Back Fever, and Wasted Sleepless Night - The Definitive Greatest Hits.
In June 2007, Wasted Sleepless Nights - The Videos. Includes live footage never before released and tracks recorded live from ABC's Studio 22.
The Angels reformed in 2008, featuring Doc Neeson on vocals, the Brewster brothers on lead and rhythm guitar, Chris Bailey on bass and Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup on drums. As of October 2009, the group continues to tour across Australia.
Members
John Brewster, (rhythm guitar, vocals), 1976-1985, 2001-
Rick Brewster (lead guitar, vocals), 1976-
Chris Bailey (bass), 1977-1982, 2001-
Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup (drums, vocals), 1976-1981, 2001-
Doc Neeson (lead vocals), 1976-2000, 2008 -
Brent Eccles (drums), 1981-2000
Jim Hilbun (bass, vocals), 1982-1989,1993-2000
Bob Spencer (rhythm guitar, vocals), 1985-1993
James Morley (bass, vocals), 1990-1992
(2) The Angels (USA)
Formed in New Jersey as The Starlets with Linda Malzone, Bernadette Carroll with sisters Barbara and Phyliss "Jiggs" Allbut in 1960.
The Starlets released two singles “P.S. I Love You" and “Romeo and Juliet" with Astro Records in 1960. Linda Malzone and Bernadette Carroll both leave the group. The Starlets disband in 1961.
Signed up with Caprice label as The Blue Angels and recorded "'Till" and "Cry Baby Cry" in 1961. Released single "Till" entered the Billboard Pop Charts at number 14 as The Blue Angels.
The Blue Angels drop blue and become The Angels with Peggy Santiglia (ex The Delicates) who replaced Linda Jansen (Linda Jankowski) in disagreement with the group leaves and goes solo under the name of Carol Lynn Brent in 1962.
The Angels were an American girl group best known for their 1963 hit "My Boyfriend's Back". The spoken intro and lead vocal is by Peggy Santiglia. The song was originally meant as a demo for The Shirelles to consider recording. However, the music publishers liked The Angels' version so much that they released it as is, and the single became a #1 hit in the USA.
The Angels released several more lesser-known singles but were never able to repeat the success of "My Boyfriend's Back". Eventually, the group members became session vocalists.
Renamed themselves as The Powder Puffs
and released single "(You Can't Take) My Boyfriend's Woody" with Imperial label in 1964. Followed by The Beach Nuts featuring Peggy Santiglia, Phyllis "Jiggs" Allbut, Barbara Allbut, Jean Thomas, Richard Gotteher, Robert Feldman and Jerry Goldstein.
Next band The Halos with Toni Mason (Angie & The Chicklettes) who replaced Peggy Santiglia after leaving of abscence from group In 1964. Featuring Toni Mason, Barbara Allbut and Phyllis "Jiggs" Allbut. Released single "Do I" with Congress in 1965. Debra Swisher (The Pixies Three) who who replaced Toni Mason in 1967.
The Angels featured Bernadette Carroll with sisters Barbara and Phyliss "Jiggs" Allbut in 1967. Peggy Santiglia rejoined the group and disband in 1968. They last single “You're All I Need To Get By” in 1974.
(3) The Angels (USA)
The Angels R&B were formed in Philadelphia 1954. Lead tenor Bernard Lynn, Nelson Martin, baritone, Bill Wright, and bass Melvin Maxwell first got together in 1955.
In early October 1956, the Angels showed up to record two songs. The first was the old standard “The Glory Of Love,” which had been written by Billy Hill back in 1936, when it had become a #1 hit for the Benny Goodman Orchestra.
On the strength of the record, the Angels were booked into the Apollo Theater, with an Alan Freed show, for the week beginning November 23, 1956. The end of the Angels came in 1958 with Nelson Martin got married and couldn't devote as much time to the group, and Herbert Meyers was “locked up for embezzlement.”
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