Ladies and Gentlemen … The Bangles!

Most people didn’t get their first glimpse of The Bangles until their hit “Manic Monday” was all over the radio and MTV. That was 1986. By then, the four-piece had already released their 1984 debut and before that were playing bars and clubs around Los Angeles with the likes of The Three O’Clock and The Dream Syndicate as part of the Paisley Underground scene. Before the studio polish, The Bangles were a scrappy power-pop band heavily indebted to The Beatles and Big Star. Ladies and Gentlemen … The Bangles!—originally released in 2014 as a download only—chronicles the band’s output prior to being signed to a major label. The harmonies and jangly guitars on “Getting Out of Hand”—released as a single in 1981 when the band was still The Bangs—and “I’m In Line” are pure British Invasion heaven. This collection, released on CD, shows the band’s songwriting strength for sure, but more importantly, it reaffirms The Bangles’ importance to countless future female rockers.