Angel

Angel is a US hard rock and glam rock group from Washington, D.C., active from 1975 to the present. The band is associated with glam, glam rock, hard rock, progressive, progressive rock and rock, and is also described as a 1970s US glam rock, metal and prog rock act.

Formation and early line-up

The group forms after Punky Meadows and Mickey Jones leave Cherry People and first form Daddy Warbux, later BUX. Angel takes shape when they meet keyboard player Gregg Giuffria, then bring in Barry Brandt and Frank DiMino. The original line-up consists of Barry Brandt on drums, Punky Meadows on guitar, Frank DiMino on vocals, Gregg Giuffria on keyboards and Mickey Jones on bass. Gene Simmons of Kiss discovers the band and secures them a deal with Casablanca Records in 1975.

Albums and early success

Angel’s self-titled debut album appears in 1975 and is followed by Helluva Band in 1976. The debut is described as heavy pomp rock, with lyrics focused on battles and historical events. Helluva Band includes the lengthy track “The Fortune Tower,” one of the group’s better-known songs. The band’s next album adopts a more pop-rock sound and features a logo that reads the same upside down.

Mickey Jones is later replaced by Felix Robinson, who appears on the follow-up White Hot and on On Earth As It Is In Heaven, both released in 1977. Angel also develops a stage presentation based around white clothing, visual illusions and special effects.

Breakup, reformations and later work

In 1979 the band appears in the film Foxes with Cherie Currie. It is later dropped by Casablanca because of poor sales and splits in 1980 after the live album Live Without A Net. After this, Giuffria forms a new group with Craig Goldy, Chuck Wright and Alan Krigger, and later plays in House of Lords.

Angel reforms in the late 1990s with Barry Brandt and Frank DiMino as original members. The album In the Beginning appears in 1999 and includes contributions from various musicians, plus guest appearances by Punky Meadows and Felix Robinson. The band continues to tour and appears at festivals including Sweden Rock and Bang Your Head.

Recent line-ups and releases

By the period described here, the line-up includes Frank DiMino, Barry Brandt, guitarist Steve Blaze, keyboardist Michael T. Ross and bassist Randy Gregg. In 2018 Punky Meadows and Frank DiMino tour together under the name “Punky Meadows and Frank Dimino of Angel,” playing Angel songs and solo material, with Danny Farrow on rhythm guitar, Charlie Calv on keyboards, Steve Ojane on bass and Billy Orrico on drums. In 2019, with the same line-up, the band uses the name Angel again, returns to wearing white and releases Risen, which charts on multiple Billboard positions.

Label and reissues

The band is associated with White Angel Music. On Earth As It Is In Heaven is reissued in a limited edition in 2008, digitally remastered with a booklet, liner notes, a track-by-track commentary by Frank DiMino, lyrics and unreleased photographs.