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Angel (American band)

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For the 1989 band headed by Criss Angel, see Criss Angel § Music.
Angel
Background information
OriginWashington, D.C., U.S.
Genres
Years active1975–1981, 1987, 1998–present
LabelsCasablanca
Coallier Entertainment
Cleopatra Records
MembersPunky Meadows
Frank DiMino
Tommy Caradonna
Danny Farrow
Charlie Calv
Billy Orrico
Past membersMickie Jones
Rudy Sarzo
Fergie Frederiksen
Ricky Phillips
Randy Gregg
Gordon G.G. Gebert
Steve Blaze
Michael T. Ross
Barry Brandt
Gregg Giuffria
Felix Robinson
Steve E. Ojane
WebsiteOfficial Angel Website at the Wayback Machine (archived January 6, 2023)

Angel is an American rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in the mid-1970s by Punky Meadows, Mickey Jones, and Gregg Giuffria. They were primarily known for their flamboyant glam stage presence and white satin outfits.[1]

History

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Angel was discovered by Kiss bass player Gene Simmons performing at a nightclub and was eventually signed to the same label as Kiss, Casablanca.[2]

Angel's image of dressing in all white was a deliberate contrast to Kiss, who wore black. Angel sported an androgynous image and elaborate stage sets. Frank Zappa wrote a satirical song about Punky Meadows, with Punky's approval titled "Punky's Whips".[3] Angel never achieved mass commercial success but acquired a following as a cult band.[1]

Their first album was the self-titled Angel (1975) and consisted of guitarist Punky Meadows, bassist Mickie Jones, vocalist Frank DiMino, keyboardist Gregg Giuffria, and drummer Barry Brandt.[4] This lineup would hold for the following two albums, Helluva Band (1976) and On Earth as It Is in Heaven (1977), after which Jones was replaced by Felix Robinson.[1]

They made an appearance in the film Foxes (1980) and Frank DiMino sang "Seduce Me Tonight" and "Blood From a Stone" on the Flashdance (1983) soundtrack and Metropolis (1984) soundtrack, credited as Cycle V on both.

DiMino and Meadows departed the band in 1981, and the remaining members brought in vocalist Fergie Frederiksen (later of Toto) and guitarist Ricky Phillips (later of The Babys, then Bad English, then Styx), but this lineup did not release new material and it dissolved shortly thereafter.

The former members of Angel went on to other things following the release of their live album. Lead vocalist Frank DiMino joined UFO guitarist Paul Raymond in the Paul Raymond Project in which he sang lead vocals. Bassist Felix Robinson played on the debut album of the band White Lion, Fight to Survive (1985/1986).[1] Angel's keyboardist Gregg Giuffria had success as the leader of the band Giuffria during the 1980s as well as with the band House of Lords,[1] who—sans Giuffria—reunited in 2002 and released a new album, The Power and the Myth on Frontiers Records.

In the late 1990s, Angel reformed with a new line-up: Frank DiMino, vocals; Barry Brandt, drums; Randy Gregg, bass; Steve Blaze, guitars; and keyboardist Gordon G.G. Gebert. Gebert left the band in 2002 and was replaced with Michael T. Ross on keyboards.[5] The band's 1999 release In the Beginning also features guest appearances by original guitarist Punky Meadows, as well as Robinson. In 2000 came the release of Angel: The Collection, making it the most extensive Angel greatest hits compilation, including 16 songs.

In 2006, two compilations of career-spanning singles were released. "Better Days" from the White Hot (1977) album was notably replaced with "The Winter Song". It had only been previously released on a rare 7" single.

Bassist Mickie Jones (born Donald Eugene Jones on December 17, 1952, later changed to Michael David Jones in 1967), died in San Dimas, California on September 5, 2009, at the age of 56,[6] after a long battle with liver cancer. Jones performed on four Angel albums (Angel, Helluva Band, On Earth as It Is in Heaven and An Anthology). He toured extensively with the band in the United States for several years. Before Angel, he played in the rock group BUX, which included guitarist Punky Meadows (Angel) and singer Ralph Morman (Joe Perry Project, and Savoy Brown). BUX released one album on Capitol Records, We Came to Play in 1976 (recorded in 1973). Both Jones and Meadows were asked to join the New York Dolls but declined. After leaving Angel, he formed the Los Angeles band EMPIRE and was the lead singer. Empire included drummer Steve Riley (L.A. Guns). Over the years, he became interested in film production and would later work in the film industry.

Singer Frank DiMino now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He appeared on the Sin City Sinners Christmas album, singing lead vocals on the holiday classic "Winter Wonderland". In 2015 he released his solo album "Old Habits Die Hard", with Punky guesting on the song 'Never Again'.

Punky Meadows issued his first-ever solo album in 2016, Fallen Angel. Felix Robinson plays bass on the album. The deluxe edition had two bonus songs, one of which, 'Lost and Lonely', had Frank DiMino on vocals. Later Angel members Danny Farrow and Charlie Calv participate on this album as well.

In 2018, Meadows and DiMino toured together under the moniker 'Punky Meadows and Frank DiMino of Angel' performing a set of classic Angel songs and solo cuts. They are backed by a band featuring Danny Farrow on rhythm guitar, Charlie Calv on keyboards, Steve Ojane on bass and Billy Orrico on drums.

In 2019, with the same lineup, the band reverted back to the name "Angel"—returning to wearing all white—and released a new album, "Risen". The band returned with new music on the 2023 album "Once Upon a Time".

Bassist Steve Ojane left the band at the end of 2023. Felix Robinson rejoined the band for select dates in 2024. Tommy Caradonna is announced as the new bass player.

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Angel's logo is ambigrammatic; it reads the same when turned upside-down as when viewed normally.[1]

Members

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Original members
  • Barry Brandt - drums, percussion (1975-1981, 1987, 1999–2008)
  • Frank DiMino - lead vocals (1975-1981, 1987, 1999–2008, 2018-present)
  • Gregg Giuffria - keyboards (1975-1981)
  • Punky Meadows - guitars (1975-1981, 2018–present)
  • Mickie Jones - bass (1975-1977; died 2009)
Other members
  • Felix Robinson - bass (1977-1981, 2024 (select dates)
effort to continue in 1981
recordings for 'In The Beginning'
  • Richard Marcello - guitars (1999)
  • Leo Borrero - bass (1999)
Touring entity 1999 to 2023
  • Gordon G.G. Gebert - keyboards (1999-2002)
  • Randy Gregg - bass (1999-2008)
  • Steve Blaze - guitars (2000-2008)
  • Michael T. Ross - keyboards (2002-2008)
  • Joey Anderson - drums, percussion (2008)
  • Keith Robert - guitars (2008)
  • Steve Ojane - bass (2018–2023)
Current members
  • Punky Meadows - guitars (1975-1981, 2018–present)
  • Frank DiMino - lead vocals (1975-1981, 1987, 1999–2008, 2018-present)
  • Danny Farrow - rhythm guitars (2018–present)
  • Charlie Calv - keyboards (2018–present)
  • Billy Orrico - drums (2018–present)
  • Tommy Caradonna - bass (2024–present)

Timeline

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Discography

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Studio albums

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Year Album US[7]
1975 Angel 156
1976 Helluva Band 155
1977 On Earth as It Is in Heaven 76
1978 White Hot 55
1979 Sinful 159
1999 In the Beginning —
2019 Risen —
2023 Once Upon a Time —

Live albums

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Year Album US[7]
1980 Live Without a Net 149

Compilation albums

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  • Foxes (soundtrack) (two songs: "20th Century Foxes" and "Virginia") (1980)
  • Can You Feel It (1989)
  • An Anthology (1992)
  • A Rock and Roll Christmas II (1998)
  • Angel: The Collection (2000)
  • Angel: The Singles Collection Volume 1 (album) (2006)
  • Angel: The Singles Collection Volume 2 (album) (2006)

Box set

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  • Angel: The Casablanca years (2018)

Bootlegs

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  • Blowing Great Guns
  • White Heroes
  • 1981 demo

Singles

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US singles, except where noted.

Year Single US
[8]
1976 Rock & Rollers —
On and On (UK)
Anyway You Want It (JPN)
Feelin' Right (JPN)
1977 That Magic Touch 77
Telephone Exchange (JPN)
Winter Song [A]
1978 Flying With Broken Wings —
Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore 44
Don't Leave Me Lonely —
1979 Don't Take Your Love —
Tower (NL)
1980 20th Century Foxes —

Notes:[9]

  1. ^ #26 Netherlands
    #32 New Zealand

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 23. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
  2. ^ "Angel". Rocknrollhell.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  3. ^ "Punky's Whips". 21 February 2008. Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  4. ^ "GLORYDAZE Music - Articles: Angel - 1975 Angel". Archive.today. 4 September 2012. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Angel: In Writing Mode - Blabbermouth.net". Roadrunnerrecords.com. 2008-07-09. Archived from the original on 2012-09-13. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  6. ^ "Mickie Jones biography". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Chart History: Angel". Billboard.
  8. ^ "US Charts".
  9. ^ "Dutch Charts".
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