All Over The Place

All Over The Place - The Rise of the Bangles from the L.A. Underground
Eric M. Shade
(HoZac Books)

The fact that the Bangles' biggest hits, 'Eternal Flame', 'Manic Monday', 'Hazy Shade of Winter' and 'Walk Like an Egyptian' were written by other people obscures their importance as one of the biggest all-female rock groups of all time. The Bangles were made up of four women who were remarkable songwriters, singers and musicians, who wrote and played their own material. They were a key part of the Paisley Underground, and before their sound was diluted by major label interference, which brought with it the novelty hits, they were one of the great garage power pop groups of the 80s. Eric M. Shade's unauthorised biography All Over The Place (2023) is so important because it places the Bangles in their proper context, as key figures emerging from the L.A. underground, and rightfully celebrates the undimmed brilliance of their early material.

 At over 400 pages, it's arguably too heavy on the detail for the casual fan, but for those of us who thrive on this stuff it's an absolute joy. Shade has clearly done his research and then some, with the added bonus that he has included many photos, album covers and Bangles ephemera from his own extensive collection. It's an excellent and exhaustive tome that is essential reading for hardcore Bangles fans, and sure to become a key reference points for Bangles academics in the future. Shade's argument is that the Bangles need to be understood within their context in the Paisley Underground, and the American indie underground more broadly, to be properly appreciated. Thus the book's key focus is on the Bangles' early years. Shade goes into deep biographical detail, giving us the childhoods of Vicki (guitars, vocals) and Debi Peterson (drums, vocals), Susanna Hoffs (guitars, vocals), Annette Zilinskas (bass) and Michael Steele (bass, vocals), and their pre-Bangles history in various bands. 

Some might see this as excessive, but this approach allows Shade to chronicle the history of the Paisley Underground as he goes. All Over The Place explores the Bangles alongside Paisley legends the Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, the Three O'Clock and the Long Ryders, all of whom develop out of the same culture of L.A., being inspired by the energy of punk but being musically drawn more to the psychedelic sounds of the 60s. The Bangles were a key and influential part of this scene, part of the shared musical heritage and camaraderie that defined the Paisley Underground. Hoffs was in a band with David Roback of Rain Parade, and not only do her eyes grace the cover of Rain Parade's iconic debut single 'What She's Done to Your Mind', Shade reveals how the song was inspired by the collapse of Hoffs and Roback's relationship and Susanna's joining the Bangles. Hoffs, the Peterson sisters and Zilinskas all remain firm friends with the Paisley bands, playing on the same bills and going on camping trips with them, and even coming full circle to play with them again at the end of the book. Also key in the build up to the story of the Bangles is Michael Steele's time in the Runaways. Shade explores how the Runaways were set up by sleazy impresario Kim Fowley as a marketing ploy. Despite the incredible talents of Joan Jett, Sandy Fox and Steele, Fowley was determined to market them being an all-girl band as a novelty, something that they would struggle against their whole career. But Steele would chafe against it first, leaving the band to explore other musical projects where her musicianship would be appreciated. 

This struggle against the ingrained misogyny of the music business that views women musicians as a novelty to be controlled and marketed winds up being a key element of the Bangles own struggle. The story really gets going when the Peterson sisters, Hoffs and Zilinskas join forces, naming themselves first the Colours and then the Bangs. By this stage, all of the women have played extensively in the L.A. underground, and are gaining reputations as musicians in their own right. The Bangs release the excellent single 'Getting Out of Hand'/'Call on Me' on their own label, and are signed to Miles Copeland's fledgling I.R.S. label who, after a hasty band name change to avoid legal charges, release their equally brilliant debut EP The Bangles. Already the Bangles are a force to be reckoned with. Influenced by their love of 60s rock, particularly the Beatles, as well as the beautiful harmonies of the Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel and the power pop of Big Star, they create a unique blend of garage rock and sweet melody. Their sound is driven by their energetic playing and Hoffs and the Peterson sisters' incredible vocal harmonies. I was very pleased to see that Shade spends significant time celebrating this wonderful incarnation of the band. Indeed, I personally would argue that 'Getting Out of Hand' and the Bangles EP represent some of the Bangles' finest work, and deserve to be remembered as high points of the L.A. indie movement. As the Bangles' fame increases, Zilinksas finds herself uncomfortable with the increased scrutiny and leaves, to be replaced by Steele, whose tight bass playing and vocal harmonies complete the classic Bangles line up. 

The Bangles sign to CBS/Columbia, thanks to Bruce Springsteen's approval. But as soon as the Bangles enter the studio to record their debut album, the major label interference starts. Saddled with producer David Kahne, a manipulative control freak who doesn't understand the Bangles' sound, the making of their first album All Over the Place (1984) is a nightmare for all four women. However, whilst Kahne smooths out their rougher garage rock edges, at this stage the band are still largely able to do what they do best, and All Over the Place is a power pop classic. One may mourn the rough edges of the debut EP, but it's made up for with a remarkable set of songs and Steele's voice completing the classic Bangles harmonies. All Over the Place deserves to be remembered as one of the great albums of the 80s. The album is followed by an extensive tour, and supporting Cindi Lauper introduces them to large numbers of new fans. Their music attracts the attention of Prince, who has a crush on Hoffs and writes 'Manic Monday' for them. Prince becomes enamoured of the whole Paisley Underground scene, signing the Three O'Clock to his Paisley Park label and records Around The World in a Day (1985), his take on the Paisley sound. 

As mainstream mega-success approaches, the Bangles' control over their own music and how they present themselves begins to slip away. Forced back into the studio with Kahne to record their second album, he absolutely ruins Different Light (1986) with his obsessive over-production of some songs and complete ignoring of others. The Bangles happily record 'Manic Monday', but because it's written by Prince, Columbia smell a hit. The novelty song 'Walk Like an Egyptian' is forced on the band, and some of the Bangles' musical parts are replaced by session musicians. Different Light is still a good album, and Shade is quick to justly celebrate highlights like Steele's 'Following', but one can't help but wonder at the album we could have had if the Bangles had a more sympathetic producer. Nevertheless, the album's hit singles propel the band into mega-stardom. Follow-up album Everything (1988) is produced by the much more sympathetic Davitt Sigerson, making it a much more satisfying listening experience than Different Light and seeing the band recapture some of their old energy on Hoffs' 'In Your Room' and the Peterson sisters' 'Bell Jar'. But by this stage, the cracks in the band's previously tight relationship have appeared. Because most of their hits have been sung by Hoffs, she is being focused on as the star at the expense of the other Bangles, despite the band being a collaborative venture at heart. This begins to cause tension between the Peterson sisters and Hoffs, whilst Steele is being driven towards a nervous breakdown by the rigours of the Bangles' exhausting touring schedule. Another Hoffs-led mega-hit 'Eternal Flame' puts the nails in the coffin, and the Bangles' messy dissolution is all but inevitable. 

The Bangles signed to I.R.S. at the same time as R.E.M. - Shade points out as part of the same deal between Copeland and his brother Ian who couldn't agree on which of them to sign so as a compromise they signed both. The Bangles are soon snapped up by CBS/Columbia, while R.E.M. stay with I.R.S. for five albums, maintaining their independence. It's interesting to imagine how both bands' stories might have been different if their roles were reversed. CBS/Columbia's meddling immediately see the Bangles saddled with an unsympathetic producer, and when their debut album sells well and the label gets the whiff of potential money, they are moulded against their will and their sound is interfered with to get a hit single. What would it be like had the Bangles stayed on I.R.S. and recorded albums under their own control? It's easy to say this now with the benefit of hindsight, but these were the early days of indies, and the Bangles couldn't have known the extent to which Columbia would come to call the shots. As Shade chronicles the Bangles development over their three major label albums, he also dips in and out of the wider history of US indie rock. 

While the Bangles are about to crash into fame and celebrity, the bands they tour with, like R.E.M., L.A.'s trash punk power pop greats Redd Kross and Zilinksas' post-Bangles band Blood on the Saddle, forge their own path in the underground, building up followings more slowly but with more control over their musical direction. Shade explores the pros and cons of both sides of the music industry in the 80s, and the book winds up being the story, repeated so often in the 80s and 90s, of a promising independent group fighting against being changed into something they aren't by a record industry that doesn't understand them. Following the Bangles' messy breakup, Shade covers the women's post-band solo careers. Hoffs is groomed for major label success, but her solo career is torpedoed by a debut solo album so over-controlled by the record company that it removes any traces of her talent and personality. Steele is promised a solo career by the record company, who use this to further cement the Bangles' split up then cruelly abandon her. The Petersons go back to making music with friends for the love of it.

All this sets the stage for the inevitable Bangles reunion, weirdly spurred by the Austin Powers films. Hoffs, the Petersons and Steele reconvene to record Doll Revolution (2003) on their own terms, away from the pressures of a manipulative record company, and get to play together again for the love of it. Steele will retire from music, and the band records another beautiful album, Sweetheart of the Sun (2011), which with its stripped down folky arrangements and focus on great song writing would have made a fine follow up to All Over the Place back in the day. The gate is open for an unexpected return for Zilinksas, who re-joins them on bass, allowing the Bangles to return to their earlier sound. Ladies and Gentlemen.... the Bangles (2014) finally brings their brilliant early material back into print to be appreciated by a new generation. This unexpected happy ending, in which the Bangles get to make music again for the sheer love of it without any interference, is a testament to the incredible and underrated talent of this unique musicians.

Throughout the book, the Bangles struggle against misogyny in the music industry and music fans, keeping their dignity intact. They always demand to be taken seriously as musicians, refusing any photo shoots or interviews they deem undignified. They tour incredibly hard, playing a remarkable number of gigs across the world in venues large and small. Despite a music press that saw them as a novelty and refused to take women musicians seriously, the Bangles fought to express their artistic vision. Though Different Light and Everything are shaped by compromise, the strength of their best material speaks for itself. Shade's extensive and sympathetic recounting of their history does an excellent job at placing them in the context they deserve to be understood, as one of America's great garage power pop bands. 

This month also sees the release of the official Bangles biography Eternal Flame (2025) by Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, published by Hachette Books. As a hardcore Bangles fan, I am excited to read and review it as well, but it will have a hard time following Shade's excellent work here.