Biography
-
Years Active
1988 – present (38 years)
-
Founded In
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States
-
Members
- Alex Grossi (2003 – 2010)
- Anthony Focx (2002 – 2004)
- Bobby "Tango" Gibb (2002 – 2003)
- Danny Parker (1998 – 1998)
- Drew Fortier (2015 – present)
Bang Tango is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1988. The band was signed to MCA Records the same year. It was initially founded by guitarist Mark Knight and bassist Kyle Kyle. Knight recruited guitarist Kyle Stevens, and vocalist Joe Lesté joined as frontman at the suggestion of Amir Derakh of Rough Cutt. Drummer Tigg Ketler, a childhood friend of Lesté, completed the five-piece lineup. The band gained a following on the Sunset Strip scene in Hollywood, performing at popular clubs and venues, which led to a contract with MCA Records.
The band's first release, the EP "Live Injection," came out in early 1989, preceding their Howard Benson-produced debut album "Psycho Café," which reached number 58 on the Billboard 200. Music videos for the singles "Someone Like You" and "Breaking Up a Heart of Stone" were played on early 1990s MTV programs. Bang Tango toured extensively with Cheap Trick, L.A. Guns, Ratt, and BulletBoys. Their second album, "Dancin' on Coals" (1991), produced by John Jansen, peaked at number 113 on the Billboard 200. A music video was made for the single "Untied and True," and the live EP "Ain't No Jive…Live!" was released in 1992.
In 1993, the band recorded the album "Love After Death" with Howard Benson, but MCA shelved its U.S. release. The album was released in the UK and Japan through Music For Nations. Guitarist Kyle Stevens left the band after the album was completed. Despite this, songs from "Love After Death" continue to be performed in live sets. The original lineup broke up in 1995 following a European tour.
Joe Lesté and Kyle Kyle reformed the band in 1996 with a rotating lineup of musicians. In 1997, Lesté and Kyle formed the alternative rock side project Eating Crow, with the song "So Abused" appearing in the film "Wishmaster." In 1998, Bang Tango released the live album "Live," followed by the compilation "Greatest Tricks" in 1999, featuring re-recorded versions of the band's popular songs. Lesté later formed the band Beautiful Creatures in 2001.
Bang Tango was reformed by Lesté in 2002 as the sole original member, releasing the album "Ready to Go." The band released "From the Hip" in 2006 and "Pistol Whipped in the Bible Belt" in 2011. In 2010, the original lineup, without Lesté, performed two shows as Bang Tango Redux. In 2014, former Dio guitarist Rowan Robertson joined the band, followed by director Drew Fortier in 2015 as a second guitarist. Bang Tango has reportedly been working on a new album.
In November 2019, the original lineup, including Lesté, Knight, Kyle, Stevens, and Ketler, reunited for a 2020 tour. Original members pursued other projects, including Mark Knight & the Unsung Heroes and Mona Lisa Overdrive.
From 2011 to 2015, Drew Fortier filmed "Attack of Life: The Bang Tango Movie," a documentary featuring interviews with all original and most subsequent members. The film was released on YouTube due to song clearance issues and received positive reviews for its presentation and accessibility to both fans and those unfamiliar with the band.
Studio albums
Psycho Café (1989)
Dancin' on Coals (1991)
Love After Death (1994)
Ready to Go (2004)
From the Hip (2006)
Pistol Whipped in the Bible Belt (2011)
Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Feel free to contribute!
All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.
