Left to right: Vicki Peterson, Debbi Peterson and Susanna Hoffs of the band The Bangles perform on stage at the Burswood Theatre on Oct. 6, 2008 in Perth, Australia. Paul Kane | Getty Images 2008
My featured artist will be The Bangles, celebrating the birthday of lead singer Susannah Hoffs on January 17. Hoffs, along with sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson and Annette Zilinskas (who had responded to a classified ad placed by the Hoffs and the Petersons), formed the band in early 1981. The American pop rock, all-women band originally called themselves The Bangs and were part of the Los Angeles Paisley Underground scene. Ahead of releasing a debut EP in 1982, they learned another band had the same name, so they changed their name to The Bangles.
I'll also be spinning music by Prince (he wrote “Manic Monday”), David Bowie (whose birthday was Jan. 8), Sade (her birthday is Jan. 16), New York Dolls (Sylvain Sylvain died Jan. 13, 2021), Grandmaster Flash (Duke Bootee, co-writer of “The Message” also died on Jan. 13, 2021), Madness (lead singer Graham McPherson's birthday is Jan. 13), and Queen (in a nod to Brian May, who was recently knighted by King Charles).
Musicians Brian May (left) and Roger Taylor (right) of Queen talk during rehearsals on the stage for "46664 - Give One Minute of Your Life to Aids" on November 26, 2003 at Greenpoint Stadium, in Cape Town, South Africa. The concert will take place on November 29, and will benefit the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the fight against AIDS in Africa. Artists performing will include Bono, Queen, Peter Gabriel, The Eurythmics, Beyonce, Youssou N'Dour, and many other international and African musicians. It will be one of the biggest rock events ever staged in Africa and will also be the most widely distributed media event in history with a potential audience of more than 2 billion people in 166 countries.
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Susanna Hoffs performs at MADE Rodarte Event Presented By Mastercard at Milk Studios on August 01, 2019 in Los Angeles.
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Prince at Madison Square Garden in New York in 1996
