Year : 1990
Style : Glam Rock , Hard Rock
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 141 mb
Bio:
Electric Angels was a Los Angeles-based band that formed from the defunct pop group Candy featuring new singer Shane (Thomas Riggins)(Tommy Holocaust),guitarist Ryan Roxie(Ryan Rosowicz), and original Candy members bassist/songwriter Jonathan Daniel, and drummer John Schubert. After one year, the band relocated to New York City and were signed to Atlantic Records within five months. One of their first New York shows was opening up for the British band Dogs D'Amour and Mother Love Bone (featuring Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard who would form Pearl Jam after the death of lead singer Andrew Wood). Their self-titled debut was recorded in London in the autumn of 1989 by David Bowie and T.Rex producer Tony Visconti and released in February 1990. They were reviewed favorably as a cross between The Replacements and Hanoi Rocks. The band cited their musical influences including KISS, The Ramones, The Replacements, Rick Springfield and George Jones and toured with former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and Phoenix rockers Icon (band). The band let their contract with Atlantic expire in 1991 due to poor promotion on the part of the label."The Drinking Song" had a long run as New Jersey's WSOU's (Seton Hall college) third most played song. The band was originally managed by Bruce Kulick of KISS guitarist fame. One of the band's original unreleased songs, "Put the 'EX' in Sex" had conveniently become the title of a later KISS song. Jon Bon Jovi was a fan of the band. Bon Jovi's song, "Bed of Roses, Bed of Nails" was a tribute to the Angel's "True Love and Other Fairy Tales" which included the lyrics, "...our bed of roses has become a bed of nails". A blond backstage at an Angels show at Club Bnai in Sayerville, New Jersey said to Bon Jovi, "Oh my god, you look just like Jon Bon Jovi." Bon Jovi contributed an endorsement statement to the promotional tape for Atlantic Record's, "Electric Angels."Amongst the Angel's biggest fans are the Tattooed Angels, known for their lovely dispositions as well as sporting Electric Angels purple, red and black Coat of Arms tattoos.Home demos were made for early song ideas, though a second album was only in the infancy stages. These demos have erroneously turned up as the never-released second album, which was to be called New York Times, though against the band's wishes or approval. The tunes amongst the "Second Wings" album are "New York Times", "Wish I Could Fly", "Deaf Generation", "War Is Over", "Where The Wild Things Are", "Cheap Lipstick", "Spent The Night With A Memory", "Woke Up Blind", "Lies My Father Told Me", "Can't Stand Loving You" and "Color of Hate". The band broke up in April 1992 when Roxie returned to Los Angeles to become the guitarist for Alice Cooper. Shane, Jonathan, and John returned a few years later, sans guitarist Ryan Roxie who was replaced by Richard Tressan and with the addition of John Ceparano, as The Loveless, releasing A Tale Of Gin And Salvation in 1995. Later Shane released a solo record called "Blue Movie".Another Jonathan Daniel project was the Bellaires, whom carried the badge, "Three men, three cords, three songs". The three song set consisted of two Daniels tunes and a Ceprarano tune. The tunes were "My Tattooed Angel (from punk rock heaven)", "Movin' On" (Ceparano) and "Stupid Mother****er". The later song title and lyric was changed to "Stupid Futhermucker" for demo purposes. John "the Hawk" Schubert was the drummer.The Electric Angels, again without Roxie, reunited in early 2000 for a one-off radio appearance on WDHA's The Tour Bus.
Album:
The excellently named Electric Angels rose from the ashes of L.A pop/glam rockers Candy. The Sugar-sweet pop rock that Candy produced was a far cry from the edgy and urban rock that the Angels would deliver, it's hard to believe the same personnel were involved. Jonathan Daniel and John Schubert were part of the early Candy days from 1981, and they would admit that the band were presented with more lost opportunities than any that were gained. Signed to Polygram in 1984, it would take a year before the record 'Whatever Happened To Fun?' would be released in mid 1985, to an indifferent audience. Recorded in Miami, Candy returned to a changed landscape in Los Angeles, the scene completely changed in the time they were away. Glam/hair metal had taken over and Candy were yesterday's news. The band eventually fractured into two pieces: Kill For Thrills created by Gilby Clarke, and Electric Angels started by Daniel, Schubert and Ryan Roxie, the latter joining Candy after original singer Kyle Vincent left at the end of 1985. Enigmatic singer Shane, joined the band in 1987 to complete the picture. Though Electric Angels caused a stir in L.A, none of the labels were interested, preferring instead to find the next Poison. Frustrated, the Angels moved to New York, and were signed by Atlantic within a month of arriving. Helping their cause for a deal was a bunch of demos produced by KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick. Talk about a fickle record industry! Eventually the band would travel to London and record the debut album with Tony Visconti, best known for his work with David Bowie and Thin Lizzy.Released in February 1990, the reviews of the time compared this band to Hanoi Rocks, but there's a wealth of influences that stem from the band member's own preferences. It may have an element of glam, but it's an earthy street trodden variety, not the fluff laden image that bands such as Poison, Jetboy and their ilk would dish up. The album gets underway with the short intro of 'I Believe' which segues into 'Live In The City', a nifty little rocker with an infectious riff and easy-on-the-brain chorus. Keeping up appearances is the excellent 'Rattlesnake Kisses', and it's easy to see that the songwriting capabilities of Jonathan Daniel is a key ingredient to this band. 'Head Above Water' is and ode to all those struggling to survive in the normal day to day routine, while 'Dangerous Drug' looks at the issue of love as an addiction and dependency. Some good lyrics here. 'True Love And Other Fairy Tales' is perhaps the band's symphonic moment (if you can call it that), but it is lush and orchestral mostly, and at 5 minutes, this is Electric Angels at their most grandiose. Getting back into the groove for the fiery 'Last Girl On Earth', it's a tale of rejection and departure, whereas 'Home Sweet Homocide' tips the white-picket fence and 4x2 dream on it's head as life in the 'burbs is not all that it seems. The semi-ballad 'Cars Crash' sees the band keeping it restrained, a very cool song, which suits the timeframe it was released in. 'All The Money' takes a stab at a 70's styled sound, along with a foot-stomping back-beat. 'Whiplash' is a jangly electric number, initially some ballad moments precede the song before opening up in energetic fashion. The chorus too is a gang-chant special.. 'when she walks by all the boys got Whiplash..'. The Angels sign off with the rabble-rouser 'The Drinking Song', where a bunch of additional voices were added to the mix, giving this a real sing-a-long vibe. A fun way to the finish the album.Upon completion of the record and eventual release, the Angels prepared to gig hard on the U.S East Coast during 1990, to mixed results. They tagged along with the likes of Danger Danger, Hurricane and The Quireboys on various jaunts, but the lack of cohesive label support and combative personalities within the band, combined to bring about their eventual downfall. Disagreements between the band, their management and their label led to them being dropped by Atlantic. It's a pity really, as the band had demos prepared for a seond album release which was to be called 'New York Times'. I believe there are some old fileshares of those demos out there on the Net. Ryan Roxie would leave the band in 1992, the remaining trio would reform as The Loveless, and release the acclaimed independent CD 'A Tale Of Gin And Salvation'. Now reissued by Rock Candy Records, this album is well worth the expense and effort as a reissue, as a lot of the songs have an indelible charm about them, and it's great to hear them in the context of the pre-grunge movement. Fitting too that Dave Reynolds, who reviewed this band for Kerrang back in 1990 also gets the opportunity to provide the liner notes for the reissue. A cycle now complete.
Line-Up:
Shane - vocals
Ryan Roxie - guitar
Jonathan Daniel - bass
John Schubert - drums
Additional Musicians:
Mark Taylor - piano and organ
A Man Called Marco - spaghetti western guitar (12)
Morgan Visconti - slap bass (1)
Astarte Orchestra Of London - strings (6 & 10)
Production:
Produced, engineered and mixed by Tony Visconti.
Tracklist:
01. I Believe
02. Live In The City
03. Rattlesnake Kisses
04. Head Above Water
05. Dangerous Drug
06. True Love And Other Fairy Tales
07. Last Girl On Earth
08. Home Sweet Homicide
09. Cars Crash
10. All The Money
11. Whiplash
12. The Drinking Song
+ Video "Rattlesnake Kisses" (Official Video)
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