The Bangles

For The Record: Quick News On Eminem, Velvet Revolver, Outkast, Loon, The Bangles, Fat Joe & More

01 Jul 2003 17:08:00 EDT

By MTV News staff report

First Elton John gave him props. Then he won an Academy Award. And now, getting yet another nod from the establishment, Eminem has found an admirer in Irish poet and Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney. According to Reuters, when asked by journalists at a recent speaking engagement in Norwich, England, whether there was a figure in pop culture who aroused interest in poetry and lyrics like Bob Dylan and John Lennon once did, Heaney said, "There is this guy Eminem ... he has sent a voltage around a generation. He has done this not just through his subversive attitude but also his verbal energy." ...

Looks like Grammy-winning duo Outkast just can't win for losing. After a federal appeals court ruled in 1999 that civil-rights icon Rosa Parks could appeal a lawsuit against the group over their song "Rosa Parks," another judge ruled recently to reinstate a majority of the lawsuit. In response, Johnnie Cochran, Parks' attorney, has presented 21 affidavits from people claiming they were "fooled into buying the rap LP out of a belief that it had something to do with Parks and the civil-rights movement." ...

Velvet Revolver (featuring several ex-Guns N' Roses members and Scott Weiland on vocals) plan to release a recording of their June performance at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre. Due this fall, the EP and DVD of the band's live debut — which included their single "Set Me Free" as well as Sex Pistols and Nirvana covers — will also feature a bonus studio track. ... Loon has set an August 26 release date for his debut LP. "The album got everybody and their momma on it. I got Missy [Elliott], Trina, Claudette Ortiz. It's just sexy. It's super sophisticated." ...

The Clipse are eyeing an October 8 release for their second album, Hell Have No Fury. "We ain't relaxing just because we had our little first joint and it was successful," Pusha T said. ...

Fat Joe, Talib Kweli, Mobb Deep and Dead Prez are among those contributing to the soundtrack to "Across 155th Street," a DVD about the famed Harlem basketball playground Rucker Park. The album is scheduled to hit the streets July 15. ... Eighties girl group the Bangles will drop their first U.S. album in 15 years on September 9. Doll Revolution features all four original members and was co-produced by Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins). ...

Like the King would really have only 30 hits!? The second greatest-hits package in as many years, Elvis 2nd to None, is set for release October 7. Picking up where Junkie XL left off, DJ Paul Oakenfold has given the remix treatment to the rare B-side "Rubberneckin'," one of the LP's 30 tracks, along with "That's All Right," "Viva Las Vegas" and "Blue Suede Shoes." ... Featuring Neil Young, Widespread Panic and the Flaming Lips, the second Bonnaroo festival, held June 13-15 in Manchester, Tennessee, has been preserved as a double live CD due August 19. The album will be followed by a DVD two months later. ...

Siouxsie & the Banshees are prepping a live CD and DVD chronicling the band's sold-out tour last year, featuring two nights at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire. 7 Year Itch Live includes a set composed almost entirely of songs from their first four albums. ... "American Idol 2" finalist Kimberley Locke is writing music with Victoria Shaw (Christina Aguilera) and new age star Jim Brickman. "I've had a few deals, but I'm not ready to take it right now because the tour is coming up and I really don't have time to process it all," she said. ...

06.30.2003

Despite eschewing commercialism for her latest album, American Life, Madonna is about to be very commercial for her new single, "Hollywood." The Material Girl has just signed up with the Gap to do a TV ad for their corduroy jeans line, which would also feature Missy Elliott. The concept is to have Madonna sing "Hollywood," while Missy would do a rap interpretation of Madge's "Into the Groove." Details weren't available about the shoot, but Gap traditionally shoots their fall ad campaigns at the beginning of July. ...

The first single from R. Kelly's greatest-hits album is ready to hit the airwaves. It's called "Thoia Thoing" and a video shoot is currently being planned. Kelly's collection of hits and remixes, The R. in R&B, is slated for this fall. ... The White House's most famous ex-intern, Monica Lewinsky, was among those who took in sets by Wilco and Sonic Youth at New York's Central Park on Friday. ...

Ruben Studdard is nearly finished with his debut album, which is due August 19 and will feature a collaboration with Fat Joe. "It was wonderful, man," the "American Idol 2" winner said of working with the rapper. "Fat Joe is one of the greatest hip-hop artists I know and the single is going to be hot, man." ... A video for "Bloody Cape," from the Deftones' latest album, was shot Saturday in Sacramento, California, by director James Minchin (Ryan Adams). The tune will serve as an international single only; a Stateside follow-up to "Minerva" has yet to be chosen. Meanwhile, the guys who comprise singer Chino Moreno's side project Team Sleep plan to record some tracks without Moreno, who'll add his vocals later. ...

Lenny Kravitz has started a record label named after his late mother, Roxie Roker, best known for playing Helen Willis on the '70s sitcom "The Jeffersons." Among the new signings to the Warner Bros.-distributed Roxie Records is singer Dan Dyer. Kravitz, meanwhile, is expected to drop his new LP, Funk, in the fall. ... Taking a cue from their song "Fight Test," the Flaming Lips "thought it better not to fight" and settled with Yusuf Islam's publishing company, which brought up similarities between that song and Islam's 1970 tune "Father and Son," released under his former name, Cat Stevens. Both artists have agreed to split the "Fight Test" royalties. ...

Roscoe will gather his brother Kurupt and other West Coast rappers to shoot a video in July for his next single, "Smooth Sailin'," from Young Roscoe Philaphornia. "We gon' get on a big yacht, we gon' put the yacht in my backyard in the pool because the pool real big," he said. "That's what I'm talking about." ... Due to ongoing band illnesses, CKY were forced to cancel seven of the 10 dates in July they had scheduled with the Deftones when the latter were not performing with the Summer Sanitarium Tour. However, the band will still play shows in Detroit (Saturday), Syracuse, New York (Hellfest, Sunday), and Old Bridge, New Jersey (July 11). Although the band could never kick that cold while on the road, singer Deron Miller had been writing songs for the follow-up to last year's Infiltrate, Destroy, Rebuild and the group hopes to release a DVD by the end of the year. ...

British R&B duo Floetry will record their Thursday show at House of Blues in New Orleans for a live album due in the fall. "That's what we do, that's how we got here," singer Marsha Ambrosius said. "Coming over to the U.S., it was really about being onstage and performing — the deal and the album came later. So we're trying to emphasize that right now." ... Detroit garage rockers the Von Bondies have inked a deal with major label Sire Records, which is expected to release the quartet's follow-up to 2001's Lack of Communication, produced by the White Stripes' Jack White. The band is currently working with Talking Heads keyboardist Jerry Harrison, who has also produced albums by Live and Creeper Lagoon. ...

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Bangles Talk Reunion, New Album

19 Jul 2000 13:00:00 EDT

SonicNet Music News

Reunited '80s foursome the Bangles are so excited about their first album in twelve years that they've written about 30 songs for it, the bandmembers said on Tuesday.

"It's just too damn fun not to do it," singer-guitarist Susanna Hoffs said during a press conference at the House Of Blues. "It sort of feels like this beginning again, when we were together in the garage, when we were doing it because we love music and we wanted to play, just for the sheer joy of it."

The Bangles -- Hoffs, drummer Debbi Peterson, guitarist Vicki Peterson and bassist Michael Steele -- will begin recording the album next month with Black Crowes producer George Drakoulias, aiming for a spring release.

They'll take a break from the studio in September for a short string of live shows, which will feature new and old material. The band hopes to stage a full tour next summer.

The bandmembers said the reunion is happening because it's simply the right time, not because of any '80s nostalgia movement. "Something just happened all those years ago, when we first sang together... and we want to investigate that again," Vicki Peterson said.

Though their ages range from 38 to 46, the bandmembers don't look much different than they did in their heyday. They appeared to be at ease with each other, laughing and joking throughout the conference.

The Bangles first reunited last year to record the song "Get The Girl" for the "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" soundtrack. They also appeared onstage together for the first time since 1989 for a Beatles tribute last summer (see "Bangles Reunite For Beatles Gig, Offers Up 'Austin Powers' Song").

From there, the bandmembers began writing more songs together, taking a wait-and-see approach to recording an album.

Working together again "really did exceed our expectations, because we went into it in such a lighthearted way," Hoffs said. "What came out of it was two albums' worth of material. We have songs coming out of our ears."

Titles of the news songs include "Stealing Rosemary," "One Of Two," "Single By Choice," "The Good Son," "Lost At Sea" and "I Will Take Care Of You."

The Bangles, whose eight-year career yielded such hits as "Walk Like An Egyptian," "Manic Monday," and "Eternal Flame," disbanded in 1989 after touring in support of their 1988 album, "Everything."

The bandmembers said internal conflicts and the need to live their own lives were the reasons for the split. "It was just like being married to four people, and we all felt we needed to take a breath," Hoffs said.

Since then, the members have all pursued other projects, with Hoffs launching a solo career and Vicki Peterson playing in the Continental Drifters, where she is still part of the lineup.

The Bangles said the chemistry was in place the first time they all four regrouped in the studio together. But they each had to do some venting to clear the air. "We came back saying, 'You really pissed me off when...'" Peterson said. "We agreed we were going to say the scary things."

The band also made an extensive list detailing the dos and don'ts of their second time around. Keeping control of their music and their lives were among the key points, she said.

The band has written most of the new material together, but they also opened the door to songs that were written during their time apart, including material that Hoffs worked on with outside collaborators.

Debbi Peterson said the band is able to create "even more of a Bangles sound" as a result of them all writing together, which they didn't always do earlier.

"We are what we are, and the way we write, it's just gonna sound like the Bangles," she said after the press conference. "Just the way our voices blend, that's what we're going to sound like. We can't sound like anyone else, and we wouldn't want to."

The group, which has not yet signed a record deal for the LP, is looking into a variety of options for releasing the disc, including the possibility of offering it online.

Vicki Peterson said there's a chance the Bangles' second time around will turn out to be a multi-album run. "We're going into it with that steam, like 'Wouldn't it be great?' But we're taking it one step at a time. Yeah, it's possible, but it's also possible that no one will give a sh**."

Bangles tour dates:

9/13 - San Diego, CA @ 4th and B
9/15 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
9/16 - Ventura, CA @ Ventura Theater
9/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ House Of Blues
9/22 - Los Angeles, CA @ House Of Blues
9/23 - Los Angeles, CA @ House Of Blues
9/26; Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues

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The Bangles

Bangles, They Might Be Giants Get Randy For New "Austin Powers" Soundtrack

12 Aug 1999 18:00:00 EDT

With the soundtrack to "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" recently being certified platinum, thanks largely to Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger" and Lenny Kravitz's update of "American Woman," you knew that plans for a sequel were inevitable.

That soundtrack sequel, titled "More Music from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," is due out on October 26, and as we previously reported, the album will feature a new cut "Get the Girl" from the recently reformed Bangles (see "Bangles Reunite For Beatles Gig, Offers Up 'Austin Powers' Song").

Esoteric rockers They Might Be Giants have also contributed a new track, "Dr. Evil," with the soundtrack being rounded out by several vintage, shagadelic tunes, including the Zombies' "Time of the Season," the Monkees' "Daydream Believer," and the Guess Who's original version of "American Woman," among others.

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Bangles Reunite For Beatles Gig, Offers Up "Austin Powers" Song

02 Jun 1999 15:00:00 EDT

After contributing a new song to the upcoming film "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," '80s girl group the Bangles will be taking the next reunion-minded step with an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl on June 25.

The Bangles (Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Vicki Peterson, and Michael Steele) agreed to take the stage together for the first time in ten years after they were asked by Beatles producer George Martin to perform as part of a planned orchestral tribute to the Beatles.

According to Hoffs' management, the Bangles will play three or four Beatles songs at the Hollywood Bowl. The spokesperson also added that the bandmembers agreed to the gig because of the opportunity it gave them to play as a group without rehashing its old hits.

Between 1985 and 1989, the Bangles scored a string of Top 10 singles, including "Manic Monday," "Walk Like an Egyptian," "In Your Room," "Eternal Flame," and a chart-topping version of Simon and Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade of Winter." The Bangles disbanded in late 1989, although Hoffs has sporadically pursued a solo career.

As we previously reported, rumors about a possible Bangles reunion have been kicking around for the last few months, as the Peterson sisters and Hoffs had been informally working on new material together (see "Go-Gos Reunion A Go, But Bangles Still In Dry-Dock").

The new sessions have apparently gone well, as the reunited Bangles have already written one new track, "Get the Girl," that will be included in the "Austin Powers" sequel directed by Hoffs' husband, Jay Roach. (Hoffs also contributed a cover of Burt Bacharach's "The Look of Love" to the soundtrack to the first "Austin Powers" flick.)

The band's reps say that "Get the Girl" wasn't written specifically for the movie, but it ended up replacing an old Monkees song that was used in the film's temporary score. The switch came too late for the tune to be included on the soundtrack album, but the band hopes to have "Get the Girl" included on a possible "Volume 2" collection.

The Bangles plan to continue rehearsing and writing songs for a new album that the group hopes to have out by the summer of next year.

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Go-Gos Reunion A Go, But Bangles Still In Dry-Dock

02 Feb 1999 07:55:00 EST

Today brings good news and bad news for those hungry for comebacks by 80s girl groups.

The good news... The Go-Gos will be mounting a reunion tour this summer, possibly with another big 80s act on the bill. The group, whose guitarist Charlotte Caffey has a credit on the latest Hole album, also has a bio film in the works too with Ted and Amanda Demme producing.

The bad news... Reports that the Bangles will also soon be mounting a reunion are "greatly exaggerated" according to guitarist Vicky Peterson. Peterson says that she and her sister (drummer Debbie Peterson) and singer Susannah Hoffs are getting together to write some songs on an informal basis, and that the group has been invited to join the third annual Lilith Fair this summer. However, Peterson says that a reunion will not happen unless Bangles bassist Michael Steele agrees to take part, and she hasn't.

We'll keep you posted.

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