Angel (band)

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Angel are a heavy metal band from Washington, DC, formed in the mid-70s. They were discovered by KISS bass player Gene Simmons performing at a nightclub and were signed to Kiss’ record label Casablanca.

Their image of dressing in all white was a deliberate contrast to Kiss, who wore black. Sometimes cited as the band that invented glam metal, Angel sported an androgynous image and elaborate stage sets. They were slammed by rock critics, and Frank Zappa ridiculed the all-male band’s female appearance in the song “Punky’s Whips.” Angel never achieved mass commercial success but acquired a following as a cult band.

They made an appearance in the film Foxes and Frank DiMino sang “Seduce Me Tonight” on the Flashdance soundtrack.

Although Angel never officially disbanded, members 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. Angel’s keyboardist Gregg Giuffria had modest success as the leader of the band Giuffria during the 1980s, along with the band House of Lords. The rest of the band reunited briefly (sans Giuffria) in 1987, but was unable to secure a new record contract and split again not too long afterward. A demo tape recorded during this period includes three songs: “Hot ’n’ Heavy,” “Take Away My Feelings,” and “Can’t Last Forever.”

In the late ’90s, Angel reformed with a new line-up. Keyboardist Gordon G.G. Gebert joined the band in 1999 and left in 2002. Currently, the band members are Frank Dimino, vocals; Barry Brandt, drums; Randy Gregg, bass; Steve Blaze, guitars; and Michael T. Ross, keyboards. The band’s 2000 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 Lilith released two singles albums which has singles released through the band’s career (1975-1981), and even though it has most singles released at that time it does not include “Better Days” which was taken off the White Hot album and replaced with “The Winter Song.” This song remains to be unreleased on CD or cassette format. It is however available as a 7" single but is very hard to find. Angel is now working on a new album, which so far has no name, but there has been a total of three written songs and they are: “Worship the Sun,” “Hold On To Your Dreams,” and the third song does not currently have a title. The fourth song is “Even Now,” but it is not certain whether this is the third untitled song, a new fourth song, or just an unreleased track. For more info go to [1] to keep updated.

For better or for worse, Angel was quite influential in their own way—particularly on the glam metal boom of the 1980s—and represent a kind of missing link between keyboard-driven hard rock bands of the ’70s such as Uriah Heep and ’80s acts like Poison.