Interview With Vicki Peterson of The Bangles

The Bangles are a favorite band of the '80s, and it was good news when they released a new CD Doll Revolution in 2003.

The Bangles were formed in the early 1980's in Los Angeles by Susanna Hoffs, Debbie Peterson and Vicki Peterson. After an EP bassist Michael Steele joined the group. In 1984 they released their first full-length album, All Over The Place.

Their big breakthrough was 1986's A Different Light album. "Manic Monday" and "Walk Like An Egyptian" were huge hits.  1988's Everything had the number one smash "Eternal Flame."

Unfortunately The Bangles broke up shortly thereafter. Susanna Hoffs released a couple of solo albums in the 1990's and Vicki Peterson worked with the Continental Drifters. In 2000 The Bangles officially reunited and went on tour. They used the money made from that tour to finance Doll Revolution.

Will the Bangles keep making new music?

Guitarist/vocalist Vicki Peterson answers that and many other questions in this interview. Peterson is also a newlywed, having married John Cowsill in late 2003. In addition to her Bangles duties, she's also involved in the band The Lamps and recently sang backup on a song by the Hoodoo Gurus.

Chad Bowar: How did the reunion come about?

Vicki Peterson: It was in process over a couple of years, but basically we can blame it on Susanna who kept phoning at increasingly regular intervals and asking, “So, if we were to do something again, what would YOU want it to be?” I was in New Orleans and not terribly interested in anything Banglish for a loooong time. Finally I said that it would have to start where we first began: with songwriting. So Debbi and Sue got together and then the three of us, then we called Michael.

How was the writing and recording process for Doll Revolution compared your earlier albums?

It could not have been more different. We put ourselves in charge of the entire process, including finding an engineer/co-producer in the person of Mr. Brad Wood to help referee. There was no label pressure, very few outside opinions to affect our decisions, a timeline of our own choosing, a location to work whenever we wanted to…almost perfect. We worked well together and gave each other space when it was requested. It surprised us all when we realized that we weren’t suffering.

How about the onstage chemistry?

That just seems to come naturally.

How was the fan response to the album and tour?

Amazing, really. We were very pleased. There appeared to be a whole section of the population who had missed out on the Bangles on the first go ‘round who were more than happy to show up now.

What are your favorite Bangles songs to perform live?

It changes. But recently I’d been especially enjoying “Here Right Now”, “Single By Choice”, “Between the Two” and “Hero”.

How did you decide to cover Elvis Costello’s song for the album?

This was a song that Susanna and Michael brought in. They had sung on a demo for a TV pilot using the song and Micki especially remembered it and wanted us to give it a shot.

Will there be another new Bangles album in the future?

I expect so. We’ve got a couple of cool ideas…

Are you still a member of the Continental Drifters? Any recording/touring plans with them?

I have a vision of the Continental Drifters in their mid-seventies playing on somebody’s front porch. This group will always be a part of my life. I don’t have any plans with the Drifters right now, but I know enough to never say never.

What type of music does your band The Lamps play?

This combo is steered by my dear friends John Crooke and David Burris. It features their particularly emotive, swirling brand of songwriting where nothing is exactly as it appears. Lovely melodies. It’s an opportunity for me to play bass, which is new and a challenge (especially when every other song is in E-flat).

Have you or do you have plans to record an album with them?

We have plans in place to record and release (possibly on-line exclusive) a series of singles.

How did you get together with the Hoodoo Gurus to sing on their new album? My old pal Dave Faulkner simply rang me up. Thanks to modern technology, sound files can easily be sent around the world and I was able to sing into a mic in LA and have the file in Australia that afternoon. It’s a very cool, very West Coast sounding song. I’m looking forward to them coming through LA this fall.

Congrats on the wedding! Any plans to collaborate musically with your husband?

Well, thank you, I’m pretty pleased about it myself. John is nudging me towards a couple of things which might happen, but you can bet that our life is a daily musical collaboration in one sense or another. He’s such a good singer—I get shy!

Will you have to do a revised version of “Single By Choice?”

Working on it. No, seriously, I still hear from women for whom that song is an anthem. Right on. Be happy with who you are!

What band from the ‘80s would you like to see get back together and be on VH-1’s Bands Reunited?

Uhhh…Is there really anyone who hasn’t reunited? I’m afraid that I can’t think of anyone I terribly miss.

How did you get started in music?

I don’t know. It got started in me.

What was your first band and what type of music did they play?

I was a solo artist from the ages of 9-15 (translation: I was a kid who brought her guitar to every sleep-over and summer afternoon in the park to play her newest creation to anyone who would listen…), but then I got Serious In high school with my friend Amanda and my sister Debbi and my boyfriend Joel. We played cover songs: some cool, but mostly atrocious. Amanda and I were writing songs together, but Joel didn’t think we should be attempting original material yet.

So we did the only reasonable thing: I broke up with Joel, which in effect broke up the band, only to reform it within minutes as an all-girl power trio. This, of course, is the seriously truncated version of a long, convoluted band history which is being documented as we speak and will eventually show its face in the form of a book written by myself and the aforementioned Amanda.

How did you become a member of the Bangles?

The story continues as our heroines suffer the vagaries of life: Amanda leaves the band for the academic life and Debbi and Vicki are left to make their next move which is (as these things so often are) actually made for them. Vicki answers the phone one day and speaks to a young woman who is calling in response to an ad placed by Vicki and Debbi’s roommate (and former lead guitarist). The young woman on the other end of the line is a guitarist and singer looking for a band to form. Vicki and Debbi, coincidentally, are currently looking for the same. Voila. They meet up in a garage and the rest, as they say, is herstory.

What were the 3 best and 3 worst moments as a member of the Bangles?

Oh, gosh. Hmm. Okay, but this is always subject to change, as is my memory… Best: (in no particular order)
Playing for a mass of humanity in the rain, opening for Queen at Slane Castle, Ireland Meeting Paul Simon Singing around a piano with Sir George Martin Worst:
Flogging away during a set at (fill in the blank) Club, knowing perfectly well that no one can hear a thing you’re doing because the sound system is THAT bad Opening for the Psychedelic Furs in NYC on one of our first tours, when their road crew sabotaged us and unplugged all of the inputs to the soundboard, rendering the first 20 minutes of our set inaudible. The (mostly unspoken) tensions surrounding our last months as Bangles Part 1 came to its conclusion…

What groups or artists did you have the most fun touring with?

Hoodoo Gurus, Cyndi Lauper

If you could go back and change anything or do something differently, what would it be?

At the risk of sounding very New Age-y, I don’t like to think in terms of regrets, but more in lessons learned. And one life lesson that the Bangles experience has taught me (and continues to resurface again and again) is the importance of communication, even when it is uncomfortable.

Anything else you’d like to mention?

I’d like to say that the Bangles have the warmest, most wonderful community of fans and that we truly appreciate them. This year is dedicated to projects we’ve been meaning to get to for so long (i.e. a live DVD, expanding our website thebangles.com…) and we hope that our fans stay with us. Thanks.