Blue Angel
Contributions by Kat Dee

BIO
BLUE ANGEL
Cyndi Lauper: Singer
John Turi: Sax and Keyboards
Arthur "Rockin' A" Neilson: Guitars
Johnny "Bullet" Morelli: Drums
Lee Brovitz: Bass
From the opening chords of their self-titled debut album, Blue Angel come across as a band firmly committed to the eternal verities of '50's rock 'n' roll, as well as being solidly entrenched in the modernism of the '80's. With roots in the songwriting team of John Turi and Cyndi Lauper, Blue Angel offers a wide variety of musical styles, from honking sax, courtesy of Mr. Turi; the hard-edged, blues based guitar riffs of Arthur Neilson, to the impressive range of Ms. Lauper's eclectic vocals. This is one group that effortlessly updates the elements of '50's rock 'n' roll and merges present day, music into a potpourri of sounds so uniquely its own-- Blue Angel.
A veteran performer on many of the singles from which Blue Angel got their initial inspiration, John Turi saw Cyndi perform on a friend's recommendation. After meeting, they realized the potential for a long-lasting, satisfying musical partnership. Turi and Lauper concentrated on songwriting while looking for members with which to form a band. Assembling a few musicians, Blue Angel was scheduled to play Trax when, two hours prior to the performance, their drummer quit. On a tip, Turi called Johnny "Bullet" Morelli to fill in. Bullet, a former Tuff Dart, was also looking for a band to call home. Considering the time he had to prepare himself with Blue Angel's material, Bullet fit in so well that the band offered him a permanent position in between encores. Realizing the sound of the band was not yet what Lauper and Turi intended, they went in search of a new guitarist and bassist.
Cyndi, John and Bullet hunted the New York clubs, looking and listening to the available talent. They liked what they saw one night at Trax in Arthur "Rockin' A" Neilson. "Rockin' A's" old rock ‘n' roll and blues licks so impressed the three that they approached him after the show to join the fledgling band. Arthur listened to the original compositions Lauper and Turi had on tape, followed his ears and joined up.
All that was needed was the bassist. Turi had once played the Boston club circuit years back and knew Lee Brovitz, a bassist whose style was very close to his own. The pair had lost touch when Turi returned to New York; however, Brovitz was who John had in his mind to fill the slot. Answering a "Musicians Wanted" ad in the Village Voice, Brovitz unknowingly set up an appointment with Bullet to audition at the loft that evening. In walked Lee and the remaining auditions were cancelled as Blue Angel was complete.
Cyndi discovered singing at the earliest possible age and began writing songs at 10. Show tunes were her first introduction to music. "I used to sing for the old ladies on the streets and they'd give me quarters," reflects Cyndi. "I'd sing tunes from The King And I. first doing the Deborah Kerr part and then singing the Thai kids' lines. My mother would always make me return the quarters."
Through a mishap of misplaced tapes, Blue Angel came to the attention of Allman Brothers manager Steve Massarskv, who immediately knew Blue Angel would have to be his next venture and became the band's manager. Massarsky signed Blue Angel to Polydor Records and retained veteran producer/engineer Roy Halee (Simon & Garfunkel, The Yardbirds, Willie Nile and the Roches, among others) to produce the group's debut.
Of Halee, Turi says, "He didn't walk into the studio and try to change our basic sound. He listened to us and encouraged the flow of ideas from within the group, making us all feel very comfortable in the studio."
As a totally collaborative unit, Blue Angel equals the sum of its different influences. Their individual tastes range from Phil Spector and Frankie Lymon's "doo-wop" (favored by Cyndi) to the Chicago R & B so dear to "Rockin A." Turi’s smokey, evocative sax-playing gives the songs much of their distinctive coloring. While the group was weaned on vintage rock ‘n' roll, they emerge with a sound that is nevertheless thoroughly up-to-date.
The name Blue Angel may come from Roy Orbison's song released in the ‘50's, but the band's expressionism recalls Von Sternberg'sfilm classic with Marlene Dietrich in the ‘30's. Taken together, Blue Angel is a band for the ‘80's-- the total sum of the abilities of its five talented members.
(9/80)
ALBUM
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BLUE ANGEL
1. Maybe He'll Know
2. I Had A Love
3. Fade
4. Anna Blue
5. Can't Blame Me
6. Late
7. Cut Out
8. Take A Chance
9. Just The Other Day
10. I'm Gonna Be Strong
11. Lorraine
12. Everybody's Got An Angel
Credits
Produced & engineered by: Roy Halee
Assistant Engineer: Lincoln Y. Clapp
Recorded at: Media Sound, N.Y.C.
Mastered at: Sterling Sound by Creg Calbi
Mixed at: Kingdom Sound Studios, Syosset, L.I.
Management: Steven J. Massarsky for Guiding Light Management, Inc.
Photography: Benno Friedman
Design: Stephanie Zuras (AGI)
Art Direction: Bob Heimall (AGI)
All songs © 1980 TuLarue Music (ASCAP) except:
Cut out © 1959 Mole Hole Music/Bug Music. (BMI) Administered by The Bug Music Group.
I'm Gonna Be Strong (c) 1963 Screen Gems-EMI Music, Inc. (BMI)
SINGLES
LATE
7" (Spain 1980) - Polydor 2095 349
A-side: Late: 2.53
B-side: Just The Other Day: 2.42
I'M GONNA BE STRONG
7" (Holland 1980) - Polydor 2095 316
7" (Holland 1984) - Polydor 2095 316
7" (UK 1984) - Polydor POSP 212
A-side: I'm Gonna Be Strong: 2.50
B-side: Just The Other Day: 2.42
7" (Germany) - Polydor 2095 324
7" (Italy Promo 1980) - Polydor 2095 324
A-side: I'm Gonna Be Strong: 2.50
B-side: Maybe He'll Know: 3.54
7" (Australia 1984) - Polydor 2095 328
7" (UK 1984) - Polydor 2095 316
A-side: I'm Gonna Be Strong: 2.50
B-side: Anna Blue: 3.57
I HAD A LOVE
7" (UK 1980) - Polydor POSP 241
A-side: I Had A Love: 2.47
B-side: Can't Blame Me 2.37
7" (Holland 1980) - Polydor 2095 348
A-side: I Had A Love: 2.47
B-side: Fade: 2.45
7" (Australia 1980) - Polydor 2095 383
A-side: I Had A Love: 2.47
B-side: Just The Other Day: 2.42
7" (US 1980) - Polydor PD2149
A-side: I Had A Love: 2.47
B-side: Take A Chance: 2.36
7" (US White label promo 1980) - Polydor PD2149
A-side: I Had A Love: 2.47
B-side: I Had A Love: 2.47
7" (US test pressing) - Polydor PDI 5274/79
A-side: I Had A Love: 2.46
B-side: Take A Chance: 2.36
TOUR DATES
1980
February 22
Rathskeller/Hofstra U - Hemstead, NY
Good Rats
February 24
Detroits - Portchester, NY
Surfkick
February 25
Toad's Place - New Haven, CT
Edgar Winter
March 1
Diplomat Hotel - New York, NY
The Specials
March 2
Fast Lane - Asbury Park, NJ
Iggy Pop
March 8
Trax - New York, NY
March 9
The 80's - New York, NY
?
March 13
Hot Club - Philadelphia, PA
March 14
Club 57 - New York, NY
XTC
April 8
Rutgers Univ. - New Brunswick, NJ
Squeeze
April 10
Hot Club - Philadelphia, PA
Headline
April 17
Speaks - Island Park, NY
Billy Falcon
April 19
St. Regis Hotel -New York, NY
May 3
Univ. of Massachusetts - Amherst, MA
September 26
Stage West - W. Hartford, CT
September 27
My Fathers Place - Old Roslyn, NY
September 28
Center Stage - E. Providence, RI
Psychadelic Furs
October 3
Emerald City - Cherry Hill, NJ
Split Enz
October 8
Red Creek Inn - Rochester, NY
The Kings
October 9
Stage 1 - Buffalo, NY
Headline
October 11
Paradise - Boston, MA
Split Enz
October 12
Stage West - W. Hartford, CT
Split Enz
October 17
Good Times Cafe - Poughkeepsie, NY
Steve Forbert
October 18
Hullabaloo - Albany, NY
Nervous Eaters
October 21
Ritz - New York, NY
Stranglers
October 25
Center Stage - E. Providence, RI
Mundanes
October 31
Syracuse Univ. - Syracuse, NY
Headline
November 3
Molly B's - Erie, PA
Headline
November 4
The Agora - Cleveland, Ohio
AmericanNoise
November 12
Cellar Door - Washington DC
Headline
November 13
My Fathers Place - Old Roslyn, NY
Tremblers
November 14
Trax - New York, NY
4 out of 5 Doctors
November 20
Hilversum/Heerlen, Germany
Recorded shows for tv & radio
November 21
Hamburg, Germany
Joe Jackson
November 22
Hanover, Germany
Joe Jackson
November 23
Berlin, Germany
Joe Jackson
November 26
Cologne, Germany
Joe Jackson
November 27
Frankfurt, Germany
Joe Jackson
November 28
Munich, Germany
Recording of tv show, Rock Pop
December 7
Keystone - Palo Alto, CA
The Inmates
December 8
Old Waldorf - San Francisco, CA
The Inmates
December 10
Roxy - Los Angeles, CA
The Inmates
December 11
Roxy - Los Angeles, CA
The Inmates
December 20
Paramount - Staten Island, NY
Headline
December 26
Malibu - Lido Beach, LI, NY
Headline
December 27
Mr. C's - Lowell, MA
Headline
December 28
Emerald City - Cherry Hill, NJ
The Busboys
December 29
Center Stage - E. Providence, RI
Co-Headline/Mink DeVille
December 31
Ritz - New York, NY
King Creole
1981
January 9
Camouflage - Bayside, NY
Headline
January 10
Rock Away Park - Rockaway, NJ
Headline
January 21
Creations - West Orange, NJ
Headline
January 23
Privates - New York, NY
Headline
January 28
Legz - Long Island, NY
Headline
February 3
Triangle Theatre - Rochester, NY
Co-Headline/Tom Robinson
February 4
Stage One - Buffalo, NY
Headline
February 6
Molly B's - Erie, PA
Headline
February 14
Privates - New York, NY
Headline
February 13*
Univ. of Pennsylvania
Ramones
February 21
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Ramones
February 27
Seton Hall, S. Orange, NJ
Ramones
April 23
The Bayou - Washington DC
Headline
April 24
Cellar Door - Washington DC
Headline
August 14
The Fast Lane - Asbury Park, NJ
Headline
August 22
Estadio Hiram Bithorn - San Juan, PR
Peter Frampton
August 30
Coliseo Pachin Vicens - San Juan, PR
Headline
* canceled