Angel (American band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founder | Punky Meadows, Mickey Jones, Gregg Giuffria |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
| Products | Rock music albums and live performances |
Angel is a rock group originating from Washington, D.C., established in 1975 by Punky Meadows, Mickey Jones, and Gregg Giuffria. The band became recognized for their extravagant glam rock performances and distinctive white satin costumes.
History
Angel caught the attention of Gene Simmons, bassist for Kiss, during a nightclub performance, leading to their signing with Casablanca Records, the same label as Kiss. Their striking all-white visual theme, combined with an androgynous aesthetic and intricate stage designs, provided a sharp contrast to Kiss’s dark costumes. While they did not achieve widespread commercial acclaim, Angel built a loyal cult fan base.
The original lineup on their self-titled debut album Angel (1975) included guitarist Punky Meadows, bassist Mickie Jones, vocalist Frank DiMino, keyboardist Gregg Giuffria, and drummer Barry Brandt. This group recorded two subsequent albums: Helluva Band (1976) and On Earth as It Is in Heaven (1977). Following this period, Felix Robinson replaced Mickie Jones on bass.
Angel made an appearance in the 1980 film Foxes. Vocalist Frank DiMino provided vocals under the name Cycle V for the soundtracks of Flashdance (1983) and Metropolis (1984).
In 1981, DiMino and Meadows departed from the band. The remaining members brought in singer Fergie Frederiksen and guitarist Ricky Phillips, but this formation did not produce any new releases and disbanded shortly thereafter.
After Angel, Frank DiMino joined the Paul Raymond Project; Felix Robinson contributed to White Lion’s debut album Fight to Survive; and Gregg Giuffria fronted the bands Giuffria and subsequently House of Lords, which reunited in 2002 and issued The Power and the Myth through Frontiers Records.
During the late 1990s, Angel reassembled featuring Frank DiMino on vocals, Barry Brandt on drums, Randy Gregg handling bass duties, Steve Blaze on guitars, and Gordon G.G. Gebert on keyboards. Gebert exited in 2002 and was succeeded by Michael T. Ross. The 1999 release In the Beginning included guest appearances from original members Meadows and Robinson. The following year saw the release of Angel: The Collection, compiling sixteen of their most notable tracks.
In 2006, two comprehensive compilation albums were issued; notably replacing "Better Days" from White Hot with the rare track "The Winter Song."
Bassist Mickie Jones passed away in 2009 after a battle with liver cancer. He contributed to four Angel albums and toured extensively with the band. Prior to Angel, he played in the rock group BUX (band), which also featured Punky Meadows. After his time with Angel, Jones formed the Los Angeles-based band EMPIRE as lead vocalist and later pursued a career in film production.
Frank DiMino currently lives in Las Vegas and released a solo album titled "Old Habits Die Hard" in 2015, which included contributions from Punky Meadows.
Punky Meadows launched his debut solo record Fallen Angel in 2016, featuring Felix Robinson alongside former Angel members Danny Farrow and Charlie Calv. The deluxe version contains a track with vocals by Frank DiMino.
In 2018, Meadows and DiMino toured under the name 'Punky Meadows and Frank DiMino of Angel,' supported by Danny Farrow, Charlie Calv, Steve Ojane, and Billy Orrico. By 2019, this ensemble resumed performing as "Angel," reinstating their iconic all-white stage attire and releasing the album Risen. They followed up with new material on their 2023 album Once Upon a Time.
At the close of 2023, bassist Steve Ojane departed from the group; Felix Robinson returned for select dates in 2024. Tommy Caradonna was announced as the band’s new bass player.
Logo
The emblem of Angel is designed as an ambigram, meaning it appears identical when flipped upside-down as it does in its standard orientation.
Members
Current lineup
- Frank DiMino — lead vocalist
- Edwin "Punky" Meadows — lead guitarist
- Danny Farrow — rhythm guitarist and backing vocals
- Charlie Calv — keyboardist
- Billy Orrico — drummer and backing vocals
- Tommy Caradonna — bassist and backing vocals
Past members
- Barry Brandt — drums, percussion, and backing vocals
- Gregg Giuffria — keyboards
- Mickey Jones — bass and backing vocals
- Felix Robinson — bass and backing vocals
- Dennis Frederiksen — lead vocals
- Ricky Phillips — guitar
- Rudy Sarzo — bass
- Richard Marcello — guitar and keyboards
- Leo Borrero — bass (studio sessions only)
- Randy Gregg — bass and backing vocals
- Gordon "G. G." Gebert — keyboards
- Steve Blaze — guitar
- Michael T. Ross — keyboards
- Joey Anderson — drums and percussion
- Keith Robert — guitar
- Steve Ojane — bass and backing vocals
Timeline
Studio albums
| Year | Album | US |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Year | Album | US |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Live Without a Net | 149 |
Compilation albums
- Foxes (soundtrack) (features two tracks: "20th Century Foxes" and "Virginia") (1980)
- Can You Feel It (1989)
- An Anthology (1992)
- Angel: The Collection (2000)
- Angel: The Singles Collection Volume 1 (2006)
- Angel: The Singles Collection Volume 2 (2006)
Box set
- Angel: The Casablanca Years (2018)
Bootlegs
- Blowing Great Guns
- White Heroes
- 1981 demo
Singles
Unless otherwise specified, singles are US releases.
| Year | Single | US |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Template:Efn-ua | |
| 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 | — |