Angels, The
Yes it’s true…. Rock fans everywhere rejoice…. The Angels Are Back!
It was a decade ago that seminal Australian rock band The Angels decided to call it a day. Their charismatic frontman, Doc Neeson, was involved in a horrific car accident that prevented him from performing for several years but after rehabilitation he went on to form Doc Neeson’s Angels. The rest of the band continued to perform as The Angels Band. In August 2007 tensions boiled over between the two parties and the The Angels court case was splashed across newspapers throughout Australia.
Now, after months of mediation the former band mates have decided to reunite, and to the delight of music lovers everywhere, reform as the original line-up of Doc Neeson (Lead Vocals), John Brewster (Rhythm Guitar, b/v), Rick Brewster (Lead guitar), Chris Bailey (Bass, b/v) and Graham “Buzz” Bidstrup (Drums) … The Angels.
On the 27th of June 2008 The Angels will headline the 30th Anniversary Golden Stave Foundation Charity Luncheon at the Hordern Pavilion. The Golden Stave has raised over $10 million for children’s charities since 1978. The Angels will then hit the road on the Face to Face Anniversary Tour. This 20-date run across the nation will revisit the venues and shows that made them a household name.
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Face to Face, Albert Music and Sony BMG will be re-releasing a series of classic Angels albums. Scheduled for July is the re-mastered 30th Anniversary edition of Face to Face and The Angels ‘08 Tour EP featuring the previously unreleased song Open That Door, a live version of Who Rings the Bell plus exclusive bonus tracks. Not long after fans can expect re-mastered versions of No Exit, The Angels and Their Finest Hour plus This is it Folks, the DVD of The Angels infamous 1979 concert at La Trobe University.
This classic line-up is the most loved combination of The Angels and had that chemistry that made music history when they became ARIA Hall of Fame members in 1998. The combined song writing talents of Neeson/Brewster/Brewster has proven to be one of the best collaborations in the Australian music industry with seminal songs like ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’, ‘Marseilles’, ‘After The Rain’, ‘Face The Day’, ‘No Exit’, ‘Take A Long Line’, ‘Mr. Damage’ ‘Comin’ Down’, ‘Shadow Boxer’ and many more.
The Angels live show has always been a tour de force. Blitzed audiences across the world from the famous Whisky shows in LA with Guns ‘N Roses to the ‘riotous’ free concert on the Sydney Opera House steps on New Year’s Eve in 1979, leaving 100 000 reeling fans in their wake.
The Angels have always had their fair share of issues and controversy; it’s probably the reason for the sheer intensity of their live shows which catapulted them to the forefront of Australian music and kept them there for three decades.
Now with the 30th Anniversary of Face to Face looming, Australian audiences are about to experience for themselves that The Angels have lost none of their vigor.
