Bangles, The

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The Bangles Band

In 1980, Susanna Hoffs teamed up with Vicki and Debbi Peterson to form a Los Angeles band called The Colours, only later to be renamed The Supersonic Bangs, and then just shortened to the Bangs.  After releasing a self-produced single in 1981 ("Getting Out of Hand"), the band secured a record deal, and subsequently had to change their name to The Bangles due to legal issues.

The Bangles released an EP in 1983.  Their first full studio album, All Over the Place, was released in 1984.  The album received some good reviews.  One of their music videos, for the song "Going Down to Liverpool", featured Spock (Leonard Nimoy), which helped peak interest in the band (in addition to going on tour with as the warm up act for Cyndi Lauper).  All the attention caught the attention of Prince, who gave them the song "Manic Monday", which became their first big hit on the 1986 release Different Light.  Another song from this 1986 release that did well was "If She Knew What She Wants".  By 1987, the album had produced two additional hits for the all-girl band:  "Walk Like an Egyptian" and "Walking Down Your Street".  The Bangle's follow up album, Everything (1988), also did well, featuring the hit songs "Eternal Flame" and "Be With You".  The band also had a hit with the song "Hazy Shade of Winter" for the Less Than Zero movie soundtrack.

By the late 1980's, tensions rose within the band as Columbia was promoting Hoffs as the lead singer based on the fact that it was her singles that were being featured.  In reality, all members of the band shared vocal duties equally.  In some ways, this set Hoffs on her solo career trajectory, and the band eventually split.  They did reunite in the late 1990's, and continued their collaboration well into the 2010's.  At the time of this writing in early 2014, the Bangles Discography was as follows:

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  • 1982: Bangles
  • 1984: All Over the Place
  • 1986: Different Light
  • 1988: Everything
  • 1990: Greatest Hits
  • 1995: September Gurls
  • 2001: Eternal Flame
  • 2003: Doll Revolution
  • 2004: The Essential Bangles
  • 2008: Playlist: The Very Best Of The Bangles
  • 2011: Sweetheart of the Sun