The Bangels--Manic Monday (1986)

     The Bangels started out as a power pop band that had a fixation on British rock from the 60's. Their first album, "All Over the Place" is still (in my opinion) by far the best album they have ever done. It was that recording that caught the ear of Prince who had a song that was originally intended for the group "Apollonia 6" and their debut album. At the last minute, he pulled the song and had done nothing with it since.    
     The girls were flattered, but did not record the song with the idea of it being a hit single. Hearing the finished product convinced them otherwise and it became a #2 hit. It opened the door for several years of great success on the charts, including two #1's. But internal pressures, much of which was caused by the media's insistence on placing singer Susanna Hofts as the "lead singer", split the band apart by 1990. The group has harkened back to their original sound on the latest album, "Sweetheart of the Sun" (2011), which has reminded us how good of a band they were, and how successful they could have (and should have) been.