Bang Tango promo video and history
Bang Tango promo video and history
Bang Tango‘s rhythm guitarist, Drew Fortier, has recently released a promotional video on behalf of Bang Tango with the caption “2016 is going to be a big year for us. Here’s a taste of things to come! Like and Share!”
Bang Tango are one of the most original bands to come out of the L.A. glam scene in the late ’80s. They blended the glam vocals and attitude with funky bass lines and a streetwise appearance. They showed so much potential that they were signed to a major label before a demo was even recorded. The band formed in Los Angeles when Rough Cutt‘s Amir Derakh introduced Joe LeSte (vocals) to Mark Knight (guitar) and Kyle Kyle (bass). The line-up was later completed with the additions of Kyle Stevens (guitar) and Tigg Ketler (drums). The group was quickly snatched up by Mechanic/MCA and unleashed their Psycho Cafe, an original and unrelenting debut studio album. Singles such as “Someone Like You” brought the band mild success and rave reviews.
By the time of Bang Tango‘s 1994 Love After Death release, the music scene had changed completely and was unforgiving to band such as Bang Tango. Knowing their time had passed, the group split up and went their separate ways. Kyle Kyle would team up with Taime Downe (Faster Pussycat) in an industrial tinged band called the Newlydeads. However, by 1998, he had re-teamed with Joe LeSte for a Bang Tango reunion tour with Mark Tremalgia on guitar and Walter Earl on drums. The band’s heyday has long passed without much fanfare, but they left behind some of the most memorable and distinguishable music of the glam era. LeSte managed to land another major label deal with the Beautiful Creatures, but also had time to record a new Bang Tango album in 2004. Ready To Go featured a revamped line-up of Alex Grossi (guitar), Anthony Focx (guitar), Chris Roach (bass) and Matt Starr (drums) while 2006’s From The Hip featured Mark Simpson (guitar), Lance Eric (bass) and Timmy Russell (drums). The remaining original members formed the Worry Beads.
Bang Tango‘s last studio album Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt which was released in 2011 received a rave review from Sleaze Roxx which stated: “Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt is vintage sounding Bang Tango — from the sleazy opener “Dick In The System” to the unique “Boom Box Seance”, Bang Tango has released ten new songs that any fan of the band will appreciate… Just like L.A. Guns‘ triumphant Tales From The Strip and Ratt‘s superb Infestation, Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt is yet another new album from a battle-scarred band that actually sounds like it could have been released in the ’80s. Bang Tango‘s latest release indubitably lives up to their reputation.”
The group is currently comprised of Joe Lesté on lead vocals, Lance Eric on bass, Timmy Russell on drums, Drew Fortier on rhythm guitar and ex-Dio axeman Rowan Robertson on lead guitar.
Fortier also recently completed a documentary pertaining to Bang Tango entitled Attack Of Life: The Bang Tango Movie which has yet to be released but has been receiving strong reviews including from Sleaze Roxx.
Bang Tango Promo Video
Edited by Drew Fortier. Live footage from M3 2015 as well as Pine Knob 2014 and Golden, CO 2015 (Shot by Rob Hodge). Featured Live Shots by Susan R. Bailey.