Many of you who have read this blog for a while know I have a soft spot for bands that never got their full due, especially the ones who could torch a stage and turn a riff into a mountain. Australia’s The Angels (or Angel City, depending on which record bin you’re digging through) are exactly that kind of band.
If you were hanging around an Aussie pub in the late ’70s, there’s a good chance you heard a blistering set from The Angels. Imagine a little the of Bon Scott-era AC/DC, the attitude of punk, and the tension of a film noir, and now picture that exploding from the back of a sweaty pub in Adelaide. That’s The Angels. As the old saying goes, they took no prisoners.
The Angels began as the Moonshine Jug and String Band in 1970, a folk/jug band formed by brothers Rick and John Brewster. But by 1974, they swapped their washboards for electric guitars and rebranded as The Keystone Angels. The real turning point came when they were spotted by AC/DC’s Angus Young and Bon Scott, who were impressed enough to recommend them to their label, Albert Productions.
Like many Australian acts, The Angels took a swing at the U.S. market, but there was already a band called Angel over here, all makeup and white spandex. So, The Angels became Angel City in the US and released several albums under that name, including Dark Room (1980) and Night Attack (1981).
They had the songs. They had the live chops. But they never quite cracked America the way INXS, AC/DC, or Men at Work would. This was their first single back in 1976, and it peaked at #58 in Australia. It was on their debut self-titled album. Band members John Brewster, Rick Brewster, and Doc Neeson wrote this song.
They did have one song that peaked at #35 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts called Underground. Underground was released in 1985. They also covered The Animals We’ve Gotta Get Outta This Place in 1986, which peaked at #7 in Australia and #13 in New Zealand.
When the band plays it live, fans start to answer the chorus with an expletive-laced chant, and it became part of the show. “No way get f*****, f*** off.” It’s become, unofficial part of the song. They are still together, releasing albums.
Here is another song by the Angels…Take A Long Ride
You may recognise yourselves here
Went down to Santa Fe, where Renoir paints the wallsDescribed you clearly, but the sky began to fall
Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?
Tram cars and taxis, like a waxworks on the moveCarry young girls past me, but none of them are you
Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?
Without you near me, I’ve got no place to goWait at the bar, maybe you might show
Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?
I’ve got to stop these tears, that’s falling from my eyeGo walk out in the rain, so no one sees me cry
Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again? Yeah
Can’t stop the memory that goes climbing through my brainI get no answer, so the question still remains
Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?
Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again? (No way, get fucked, fuck off)Am I ever gonna see your face again?
Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?Am I ever gonna see your face again?
Hey, I wanna see your face, your sweet smiling faceI wanna see your face, see your face again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again, again, oh
…
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I literally hadn’t heard this since my late teens in Australia. I remember the ‘bleep bleep bleep’ retort always brought the house down. Thanks for the recap Max.
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I was wondering if you had heard it before cool! They are a powerful band.
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I think I may have saw them live coming through Canberra, but I can’t be certain since I saw just so many bands. I saw a lot of groups there including the Oils and Crowded House.
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Oh cool…I like The Stems a lot from there as well.
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Completely new to me! These guys are great. I suppose the reputation of the song lyrics may have been a double edged sword.
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Yea it would be a double edge sword… I like how their recordings seem so alive. Really good rock band.
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That’s your kind of stuff alright!
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Never heard them. Intense rocking tunes.
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That’s wild! Never heard of them, but I hear a bit of AC/DC sound from them in the Face song. Fascinating.
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When I heard them…I knew I had to post them. Fun band with a loud sound. Another band I wish I would have known about back in the day.
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Why haven’t I heard of this great band before?
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I’m with you Glyn. I wish I would have known about them back in the day.
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I actually vaguely remember the band ‘Angel City’ being talked about a little back then but I don’t know I ever heard their music. Seems like a band I might have found ok back then but probably more than I would now. Good on them for still going
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I love the energy of them. They also did a cover of that Animals song that was great. They nailed it.
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I got an Elvis Costello vibe from this group that I never heard of before, but they sounded really good to me.
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ah ha!..you almost caught me, I originally thought the American band Angel…will check these guys out……and saying that Angel were an interesting band, stars of that movie Foxes with Cherie Currie!
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Oh I remember that movie. I just saw a trailer for it recently as well. Someone posted the Runaways and mentioned it. This band is pretty cool.
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I caught a Harvey Keitel flick back when. He stumbles into an Australian Outback bub and these guys were playing. “Pub Rock” like you said. We always bring up front men, Doc Neeson was a good.
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Yes he is CB…he was all involved. They really rocked. I was shocked that they didn’t have more visibility over here. They have it all.
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That’s friggn awesome, CB.
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Don’t think I’ve heard this before it’s pretty good. Feels like most notable Australian bands started in the pub.
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Yea they do seem to be rooted there in pubs. I was wondering if any of my NZ commentors knew them.
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Yes, I recall them, they hit hard. The pub scene didn’t allow for subtlety. They were paid to be heard, and covering a delicate Simon and Garfunkel tune when playing at some fine hostelry like the Gepps Cross Tavern wasn’t going to cut it. Pretty good cover of the Animals song, and this one belts along too. And I must apologise for my distant Northern cousins for their rather boorish boozy and ‘bloody oath’ additions to the chorus. But what can I say but ‘Aussies aye?’ 😉
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Oh cool! I was wondering if you had heard of them. Graham from NZ hasn’t but I’m glad one person did! I listened to them and thought wow…this is rock in your face.
It WAS a fun addition!
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The Angels/Angel City sound great to me, based on the songs you highlighted. I like both the originals and their cover of “We’ve Gotta Get Outta This Place.” Pretty cool!
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Thanks for giving it a try Christian!
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They sound pretty cool, Max. Thanks for the intro! 🙂
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Very good song (Am I Ever…) I don’t like the idea we have missed it for all of these years because of some dumbass reason or another. Their energy is contagious!
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Thanks Lisa…CB picked a winner here!
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You’re welcome, Max. Yes, he did!
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Great song from a band I’d never heard of before. I hear a bit of Status Quo in there too.
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You know what? After listening to it again I do as well.
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