Most Underrated Bands – Bang Tango

They were one of the best bands of the Sunset Strip circuit.  In an over saturated market, they managed to stick out by utilizing alternative funk sounds that would dominate the music market of the 90’s.  I’m talking about Bang Tango.  One of the most overlooked and underappreciated bands of a generation.  A band so smokin’ live and in the studio that it seems bizarre that they didn’t become one of the darling bands of the 90’s.

Why should these guys have been 90’s darlings?  Two reasons:  One lies in the production of their records.  There’s no reverb.  They have that ‘recorded in a basement’ sound almost.  A production quality that would dominate the market for 15 years.  The other reason is bassist Kyle Kyle’s completely unconventional slap bass element.  A style that would lord over all others for the coming decade.  That combined with Mark Knights funk guitar gave the band an alternative element that none of their hard rock brethren really shared.  Not to mention Joe Leste’s excellent front man presence.  Their near perfect live shows.  And simply excellent song writing.  Their two major label records are very consistent in quality.

And it was those elements that made the band a very popular attraction on the sunset strip.  Their mixture of Aerosmith, Prince and The Red Hot Chili Peppers was just what the scene needed at the time.  And Bang Tango delivered which started a bidding war between the record companies.  So naturally you’d think that the world would become their oyster.  But fate clearly had other plans.  The band made the fateful decision to sign with MCA records.  A company that in a few short years would develop a horrible reputation and their clients essentially ignored.  Nearly to the point of bankruptcy.  But they did what they could for the band.

Their debut ‘Psycho Cafe’ charted at modest 58 on the billboard hot 200.  Not a smash by any means.  But good enough at the time for a follow up album after a short opening tour.  This was 1989 so there was still some formula that a record company had to break an artist.  The album is filled with addictive funk rhythms, catchy riffs, sing along hooks and an ass ton of slap bass.  And while it is different than what many of their peers were doing, it still has a dominate 80’s hard rock sound.  But the band would really refine their sound on their follow up album ‘Dancin’ On Coals’.  One of the finest hours of music to be released in 1991.  Tracks like ‘Soul to Soul’, ‘Big Line’, ‘My Saltine’ and ‘I’m In Love’ shove the funkified, garage sounding 80’s hard rock down your throat.  Strong, original riffage (something hard to find in the time period).  It really does sound like old school Chili Peppers getting it on with Aerosmith while some Seattle bands watch.  And you’d think that that sound would blow the band into international stardom for the ages.  But the album performed very poorly due to the lack of promotion and the fact that they were from Los Angeles instead of Seattle.  The band would release one more album.  The incredibly hard to find ‘Love After Death’, as a foursome.

After ‘Dancin’ on Coals’ it would be a slow break up for the band.  Eventually leaving front man Joe Leste as the only original member for about a decade and a half.  But the band had an unexpected reunion.  In 2015, four fifths of the original Bang Tango would reunite:  Vocalist Joe Leste, bassist Kyle Kyle, guitarist Mark Knight and drummer Tigg Ketler would play once again.  With additional guitars provided by Drew Fortier.  The man who directed the documentary about the band that prompted the reunion.  They are reportedly working on a new album.   If you don’t know the band or haven’t listened to them in a while, I would highly recommend picking up their first two records and just jam on them.  You won’t regret it.

Tremendous live band.

A classic example of a song that should have been a hit.

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