Bang Tango
Encyclopedia
Bang Tango is an American
funk-infused
hard rock
and glam metal
band.
and were signed to MCA Records
that same year. The band's line-up has fluctuated since its inception, with the one mainstay of the group (until 2010) being frontman Joe Lesté. Psycho Café
(the band's debut album) was released in 1989
, but, although MTV
gave considerable exposure to the single "Someone Like You," the album wasn't able to crossover to mainstream success.
Nevertheless, the group trekked on until 1995
when they split up. Bang Tango then reformed in 1996 only to disband again in 1998. In 1999, the band reformed to mount a national tour, Lesté and original bassist Kyle Kyle (born Kyle Keiderling) joining forces with former bay area S.F. Altar Boys
punk rock guitarist Mattie B. The tour was a success and a record was in the works but nothing was released. Lesté reformed the band yet again in 2002
, albeit structured around a revolving door of lesser-known musicians. Many of those were also members of Lesté's more modern sounding alt-metal outfit Beautiful Creatures
.
Lesté was reportedly briefly hired as singer for L.A. Guns
, but no albums were recorded with him. Lesté and Tracii Guns
played together on a cover of Def Leppard
's "Rock Brigade" on the Def Leppard tribute album Leppardmania and on a cover of Guns N' Roses
's "Mr. Brownstone" on the Guns N' Roses tribute album A Rock Tribute To Guns N' Roses.
Kyle Kyle was later in The Newlydeads
with Taime Downe
of Faster Pussycat
fame.
Mark Knight is currently fronting his new project "Gravy" along with Mark Tremalgia. Gravy released their debut album Bones in 2003.
In 2010, the original members of Bang Tango: Kyle Kyle, Tigg Ketler and Mark Knight were interviewed by Argentinean music journalist Lucas H. Gordon where they talked about the reunion of original members which includes Kyle Stevens but not the original singer Joe Leste. The band's name is Bang Tango Redux and the interview is currently broadcasting in Youtube. As Bang Tango Redux, the four original members teamed up with a new singer, Michael Demay.
On April 27, 2011, original singer Joe Lesté appeared on RadioScreamer with longtime friend and host David Castagno, where he discussed his current tour as well as the grind of the road. Lesté continues to tour as Bang Tango. Although he is the only original member still in the band, Bang Tango continues to perform well over 100 shows each year.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
funk-infused
Funk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
band.
Biography
The band formed in 1987 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and were signed to MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
that same year. The band's line-up has fluctuated since its inception, with the one mainstay of the group (until 2010) being frontman Joe Lesté. Psycho Café
Psycho Café
Psycho Café is the first full length album from the band Bang Tango. It was released in 1989.-Track listing:# "Attack Of Life" - 4:18# "Someone Like You" - 4:20# "Wrap My Wings" - 4:44# "Breaking Up A Heart Of Stone" - 4:55# "Shotgun Man" - 3:20...
(the band's debut album) was released in 1989
1989 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR...
, but, although MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
gave considerable exposure to the single "Someone Like You," the album wasn't able to crossover to mainstream success.
Nevertheless, the group trekked on until 1995
1995 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
when they split up. Bang Tango then reformed in 1996 only to disband again in 1998. In 1999, the band reformed to mount a national tour, Lesté and original bassist Kyle Kyle (born Kyle Keiderling) joining forces with former bay area S.F. Altar Boys
S.F. Altar Boys
The S.F. Altar Boys were a San Francisco based punk rock group that existed between 1993 to 1998. Formed by singer/guitarist Matt Breen and bassist Chris 'Hellcat' Stewart the group recorded only one full length E.P. in 1994 titled S.F.M.F...
punk rock guitarist Mattie B. The tour was a success and a record was in the works but nothing was released. Lesté reformed the band yet again in 2002
2002 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
, albeit structured around a revolving door of lesser-known musicians. Many of those were also members of Lesté's more modern sounding alt-metal outfit Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Creatures (band)
Beautiful Creatures are a hard rock band formed in 1999 by guitarist DJ Ashba, formerly of BulletBoys, and singer Joe Lesté of Bang Tango. The group's current lineup is composed of Lesté , Delta Starr , Anthony Focx , Lance Eric and Justin Sandler...
.
Lesté was reportedly briefly hired as singer for L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is the name of a hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, of which two rival incarnations currently exist due to numerous line-up changes. The first incarnation of the group was formed, by Tracii Guns, in 1983 but disbanded in 1985 following its merger with fellow Los Angeles...
, but no albums were recorded with him. Lesté and Tracii Guns
Tracii Guns
Tracii Guns is an American guitarist best known as the founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns as well as the supergroups Brides of Destruction and Contraband. He was also involved in the formation of the first lineup of Guns N' Roses but eventually left the group and was replaced by guitarist...
played together on a cover of Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
's "Rock Brigade" on the Def Leppard tribute album Leppardmania and on a cover of Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
's "Mr. Brownstone" on the Guns N' Roses tribute album A Rock Tribute To Guns N' Roses.
Kyle Kyle was later in The Newlydeads
The Newlydeads
The Newlydeads were an industrial rock band founded by Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe.At one time or another, The Newlydeads also featured Taime Downe's current Faster Pussycat bandmates: guitarist Xristian Simon, bassist Danny Nordahl, and drummer Chad Stewart...
with Taime Downe
Taime Downe
Taime Downe is an American musician who first became notable as the lead singer of 1980s sleaze rock band Faster Pussycat.-Biography:Downe grew up in Seattle, Washington, the oldest of four children. He became interested in music at a very early age, and in high school he formed a band named The...
of Faster Pussycat
Faster Pussycat
Faster Pussycat is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1986. The group was most successful during the late 1980s with their self-titled debut album, their 1989 gold album Wake Me When It's Over and the 80,000 selling Whipped! in 1992.-The roots of Faster Pussycat...
fame.
Mark Knight is currently fronting his new project "Gravy" along with Mark Tremalgia. Gravy released their debut album Bones in 2003.
In 2010, the original members of Bang Tango: Kyle Kyle, Tigg Ketler and Mark Knight were interviewed by Argentinean music journalist Lucas H. Gordon where they talked about the reunion of original members which includes Kyle Stevens but not the original singer Joe Leste. The band's name is Bang Tango Redux and the interview is currently broadcasting in Youtube. As Bang Tango Redux, the four original members teamed up with a new singer, Michael Demay.
On April 27, 2011, original singer Joe Lesté appeared on RadioScreamer with longtime friend and host David Castagno, where he discussed his current tour as well as the grind of the road. Lesté continues to tour as Bang Tango. Although he is the only original member still in the band, Bang Tango continues to perform well over 100 shows each year.
Band members
- Joe Lesté – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Scott LaFlamme – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Lance Eric – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Trent Anderson – drums
Former members
(This is a partial list. It does not include all of the members that have toured with the band, especially during the late 1980s.)Drums
- Tigg Ketler (born Robert Ketler)
- Rob Jones
- Walter Earl
- Robert Gibb
- Glenn Sobel
- Matt Starr (born Matt Franklin)
- Timmy Russell
- Michael Licata
- Troy Patrick FarrellTroy Patrick FarrellTroy Patrick Farrell is an American drummer who has played in bands including White Lion, Pretty Boy Floyd, John Corabi and Michael Aston's Gene Love Jezebel....
Guitars
- Pete Risi
- Kyle Stevens
- Mark Knight
- Mark Tremaglia
- Dan Aon
- Mattie B.
- Michael Thomas
- Ryan Seelbach
- Mark Simpson
- Alex GrossiAlex GrossiAlex Grossi is an American guitarist, best known as the guitarist of heavy metal band Quiet Riot.-Early life and career:...
- Matt Price 1993-1995
Bass
- Kyle Kyle (born Kyle Keiderling)
- Brian SaundersBrian SaundersBrian Saunders is an American sound engineer. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Sound for the film Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey.-External links:...
- Curtis Roach (born Chris Roach)
- Mike Howells
- Jamie Zimlin
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label | US Billboard Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Psycho Café Psycho Café Psycho Café is the first full length album from the band Bang Tango. It was released in 1989.-Track listing:# "Attack Of Life" - 4:18# "Someone Like You" - 4:20# "Wrap My Wings" - 4:44# "Breaking Up A Heart Of Stone" - 4:55# "Shotgun Man" - 3:20... |
MCA MCA Records MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003... |
58 |
| 1991 | Dancin' on Coals | 113 | |
| 1994 | Love After Death | Music for Nations Music For Nations Music For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG.... |
- |
| September 14, 2004 | Ready to Go | Shrapnel Shrapnel Records Shrapnel Records is a guitar-oriented record label started in 1980 by record producer Mike Varney. Guitarist Marty Friedman , one of the label's most successful artists, first appeared on the album Unsung Guitar Heroes II in 1980 with the band Vixen. Vixen would later change their name to Hawaii... |
- |
| May 9, 2006 | From the Hip | Perris | - |
| September 27, 2011 | Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt | [78 Productions] |
Live and compilation albums
| Year | Title | Label | US Billboard Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Live Injection (live) | World of Hurt | |
| 1992 | Ain't No Jive...Live! Ain't No Jive...Live! Ain't No Jive... Live! is a live EP by the band Bang Tango.-Track listing:#"Dancin' On Coals"#"20th Century Boy"#"Someone Like You"#"Midnight Struck"#"Attack Of Life"-Personnel:* Joe Leste: Lead vocals* Mark Knight: Guitar* Kyle Stevens: Guitar... (live) |
MCA MCA Records MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003... |
|
| November 10, 1998 | Live (live) | Cleopatra Cleopatra Records Cleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label.- History :Founded in 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and reissues of out-of-print music... |
|
| May 25, 1999 | Untied & Live (live) | Import | - |
| November 23, 1999 | Greatest Tricks (compilation) | Cleopatra Cleopatra Records Cleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label.- History :Founded in 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and reissues of out-of-print music... |
- |
| August 24, 2004 | The Ultimate Bang Tango: Rockers and Thieves (compilation) | Lemon | - |