I didn’t realize these ladies were still breathing, let alone performing.
Don’t even ask how I found it, but here they are performing in late 2010.
Say what you will about their music, but I am so mesmerized by a 52 year old chick strumming a Rickenbacker, and singing while wearing lingerie and heels. Dayum.
No point to this post, move along to more current music.
They released a pretty good record last year, too.
I used to think Miss Hoffs was sooooo got back in the day. And didn’t she also play a Tele?
I was mesmerized in in 1985 too.
Why would anyone nay-say The Bangles? Shit, even when they were stuck beholden to Liam Sternberger’s mawkish and awful songs in their charting years, they still managed to slip covers like “Live” and “September Gurls” into the mix to let everyone know they were still the same band that recorded “Dover Beach” and “Hero Takes A Fall”. You’re not gonna find four bigger music geeks in a single band than the Peterson sisters, Susie Hoffs, and Michael Steele.
Must be at least a dozen posts here–probably at least half of them by me–talking about the Bangles as a current and going concern. They’ve been touring since 2000 or so, and have two albums out in that time span, one of which is solid, one of which is excellent.
They’re fantastic live, although I’ve come to realize that the loss of Michael Steele definitely leaves a void in the band. She was kind of the glue on a lot of songs. (She’s fine, just enjoys being retired from the band.)
Also not to be missed: the two albums of covers Susie recorded with Matthew Sweet.
Been playing a Rick since she went solo…and her self-titled solo album from the mid-1990’s is absolutely fantastic. She collaborates with the late Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse and David Baerwald and put together a fantastic band with Ric Menck and Paul Chastain of Velvet Crush and it totally rocks.
Really coincidental. I haven’t thought about this band in a long time. About a week ago a random youtube video led to a Bangles link on the side bar. I found they were still around and I realized Susana Hoffs still looks like the cutie I remembered in the late 80’s. Looks aside, I really like her voice. Thanks for the thread starter, I didn’t realize she had done a solo kick either, I’ll have to look for more music.
F#ck, yeah. I’m not old after all – just for the moment.
Definitely a strong album. Or at least it starts off strong and sort of struggles a bit at the end. They’re the best jangly pop band made up of women in their mid-50s, for sure.
Which for us 50+ men, means that they’re the best pop-rock group ever invented for sure!
Edit: Since Tina Turner, I mean.
Those aren’t all the original cast members are they? Where is the original member who sang second verse on Egyptian? I always thought she was so hot.
“Cast members”? They aren’t the Monkees…
Yep, Michael Steele–always the most private and spotlight-shy of the group–retired for good in 2004.
Debbie Peterson (the drummer) and Susie Hoffs are both married and have teenaged kids at home. Vicki Peterson spends her free time playing in her other band with Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple, The Continental Drifters.