Superlatives
A Vulture series in which artists judge the best and worst of their own careers.
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(Hoffs also penned some of the bands big hits.)
But lets return to the Bangles for now.
(Just wait for the Robert Plant story.)
We cut the interview off at 90 minutes, or else we still mightve been chit-chatting.
And of course Walk Like an Egyptian.
I was heartbroken when it didnt get picked.
I have an idea for that song.
So we came up with a really cool arrangement and we ended up recording it.
I was so delighted to see that its connected with people.
But I think my answer has to be Hazy Shade of Winter.
It was a song from the very early days of the Bangles.
I saw the Sex Pistols at Winterland; I saw the Patti Smith Group at Winterland.
It was a very fertile and creative time for me.
But cut to this factory, and Im listening to K-EARTH 101, an oldies station.
Im alone in this dark room and all I had was the radio.
Hazy Shade of Winter came on one day.
Iranto our band rehearsal that night and was like, Wehaveto cover this song.
It became a staple in the Bangles set for years and years.
We were a scrappy band and not everybodys cup of tea.
And we always love playing it.
I think it might fit for your movie.
The next thing I know, Rick Rubin is producing it.
Theres something about the energy of the song.
We did a more rock-and-roll version of it, and I like how our voices are all layered together.
We often open our set with it.
Signature guitar song
Weirdly, In Your Room, which is another Bangles song that I love.
I always look forward to playing it.
Its really, really fun.
I also love playing Hero Takes a Fall, because I get to solo on it.
Its always my chance to break out and do my primitive soloing.
I was so, so bereft when I didnt think that we would record it.
It does have a happy ending, though, so I guess that doesnt count.
Its not just two people in the marriage, its four people in the marriage.
Just do the math on how many different relationships exist within that marriage of four people.
In our case, we have actual sisters in a band.
They have that intangible vocal blend.
You see that in Beach Boys or in bands where there are relatives.
It brings out the best and the worst and life lessons.
This was a period when New Wave was happening.
Huge stadium-rock bands like Led Zeppelin, the Who, and the Rolling Stones were drying out.
There were starting to be labels that wanted to work with that sound.
There was the Sex Pistols, there was punk rock,the Go-Gos.
There was a scene that made it possible.
It was like anything was possible.
Im grateful that we were born out of that time period, but it was bound to be fraught.
Its the song that Prince heard and was like, What band is this?
The song really encapsulates Vicki and Debbi and my love of 60s music and that sort of under-the-radar …
I wish there was a name for that sort of psychedelic pop.
The Seeds, Arthur Lee, Love, the Beau Brummels, the Blues Magoos, the Troggs.
We were little girls who grew up on the Beatles and loved the British Invasion.
You couldnt Google things back then.
You had to go to a record store.
You had to pass around cassettes.
That was the brain food for the Petersons and me.
The Yardbirdswere a huge influence on me, for example.
Ive always loved the Velvet Underground because I think of them as more than just a rock band.
They were an art project.
I was always drawn to that.
For that period ofthe Paisley Undergroundwe did field trips together and we did shows together.
Its a great Jules Shear song.
He wrote it and Ive always loved it.
Thats one that I love to sing in the living room by myself.
Jules Shear is a master.
Thats another one that I love playing guitar on.
I also love the harmonies on Eternal Flame.
I think that theyre really beautifully arranged.
Jangly guitars, folk pop, 60s-infused melodic songs.
We approached pretty much everything from the point of view of being a vocal group.
I would also say that our version of Hazy Shade of Winter is a little bit psych-pop, too.
It was very much like the Electric Prunes version of the song.
We used to cover the Nazz in our early years.
I listened to something by Todd, anything by Todd, over and over.
I always think of it as the soundtrack of my summer between high school and college.
For me, songs have always been bright lights on a dark night, things of beauty.
I often tell people who are struggling emotionally, Take a minute and look at the sky.
Its so much bigger than anything else.Or just listen to the rustling of trees or a bird song.
Youll realize you are this little thing in this big world.
To me its magic.
Song whose legacy has changed the most for you
I would have to say Eternal Flame.
I didnt know that in the ensuing years it would turn into one of those songs that peopleknow.
Like, younger generations know it just as much.
It seems to be a song that …
I find myself seeing a lot of licensing of it for usage in movies and television shows.
That makes me happy and Im really touched by it all.
I felt like,Can he see that wererolling red light fever?
Ireallysang Manic Monday for the first time at that moment.
I remember Prince even before that, when he had discovered us through Hero Takes a Fall.
Im like right there now, watching Prince play.
Another really endearing memory was when he invited us to his house one day.
All he wanted to do was play Bangles songs.
We were taking off our shoes and dancing in our socks while Prince played.
He just loved to play music.
Not for any gain; just to play because you love playing.
Thats what that night was.
Ill never forget that.
No photos, just memories.
I recently met one of my absolute childhood heroes, Joni Mitchell.
I had the occasion to meet Joni and spend time playing music with her.
I didnt ask for a selfie, but somebody else was there and asked for one and she obliged.
I got home and I tossed and turned all night long.
You have more than that photograph, you have that night.
That brought me full circle to our night with Prince.
That experience; its in your memory.
You dont need a photograph.
Most sexist review
There was one article written in the 80s when we were playing in London.
The upshot was like,This girl doesnt deserve to hold Jeff Becks guitar tuner.
I dont remember the exact phrasing, but it was sexist in tone.
It was a slag on girls trying to play rock and roll.
The irony is that Jeff Beck and Sting came to that show and we hung out with them afterwards.
This is actually one of my favorite stories.
It was one of those pinch-me moments and he couldnt have been nicer.
He was such a cool cat that night.
It wasnt intimidating at all, because he was so gentle-voiced and chill.
I was like, wow.
Speaking of rock gods, Robert Plant used to come to our shows in England.
We were driving around in a van putting our makeup on in the little rear view mirror.
We were playing these out-of-the-way clubs.
He came multiple times to see us because he was that kind of guy.
Biggest self-destructing band moment
I think the Petersons would say that it was whenwe switched management.
But do you know what I honestly think?
The biggest self-destructing moment may have been not knowing that we couldsaywe needed a break.
To really just step away and say, You know what?
Weve been on the road nonstop.
Everyones afraid, emotionally, and we should just take a year off.
Go follow your bliss.
If your bliss is making a solo record, do it.
I think had we taken a year or two off, things might have been different.
It felt like it was all or nothing.
If we said to ourselves, You know what?
So what if we lose momentum?
So what if we disappear from the public eye?
Who cares?, I think it might have gone differently.
We still love each other.
You look at time differently when youre older.
You have to make choices.
You cant do everything.
Theres not enough time.
Your priorities change a little bit and you get more perspective.
Youre like,These are the things I did.Theres two categories.
Sometimes you make a decision to do something because you think youre supposed to, for whatever reason.
And sometimes you make a decision to do something because you really want to do it.
You want to try something new.
I never wouldve written a novel had I not said, You know what?
I need to take a little time.
I really want to do this.
I wanted to do this my entire life.
If not now, when?
So much amazing stuff has happened because I made that decision to just take a chance on something.
Every time Ive made that leap of faith, it seems to have brought something good into my life.
I met my husband on a blind date, okay?
Greatest lesson from recording Eternal Flame in the nude
I was in the dark.
There were two people in the control room who could not see me.
It was really just something fun for me.
Everyone in the band would have their special night in the studio.
I had my special night, and there was a lot of care taken to make everybody feel comfortable.
I had this uniform that I would wear every day and it became my lucky uniform.
It was a funny dare with myself because I had been told this story about …
I was being punked a little bit, but it was all good.
I was all alone in a dark room with just a little light by the microphone.
The minute I tried it I thought,This will feel like skinny-dipping.
Most triumphant pop-culture moment:Austin Powersvs.Gilmore Girls
Both of those have exciting pop-culture legacies.
ForGilmore Girls, we were on the first season and performed live for a concert sequence.
It was really, really special.
I did music for all three films.
My second son was born on the first night of shooting theAustin Powerssequel.
I remember my husband was frantically driving from the set to be there when the baby was born.
It delights me so much that this whole new generation of people are discovering it.
