Paris Angels

NAME:		Paris Angels
MEMBERS:		Rikki, Jayne, Wags, Mark
HIGHEST CHART SINGLE:		Perfume, Number 55
ESSENTIAL TUNE:		Perfume
ESSENTIAL ALBUM:		Sundew
FASCINATING FACT:		The band's guitarist Wags went onto become a member of Black Grape
BAGGY RATING:		Under-achievers

I first read about The Paris Angels in the NME. It was a review of Perfume. I can't remember exactly what it said - something along the lines of 'like New Order with an electro shuffle'. Sounded good so I trapsed off down to buy the single.

First things first, what a great cover! A single sunflower seed on a warm orange background. The record was as good, building from a slow start to an anthemic finish as Rikki's Manc tones mixed in Jayne's soaring vocals.

Lyrics were pretty good as well in an adolescent sort of way ! 'Some silly things are always easy to blame, try to grow up don't always be the same…'

The record still sounds fresh today!

So me and a few mates, enjoying the freedom of 'passing the test' got into our car and drove to Coventry to see them at The Tic Toc. Must have been one of my first proper gigs and it blew me away. A mix of good songs, pulsating beats and driving guitar. Oh yeah, and a bongo player as well.

Post-gig we hung out with our 'new mates' - not realising we would have been classified under the 'groupie' tag!

Unfortunately, none of their other material lived up to the heights of Perfume. It was good but not that good. We saw them in concerts loads and I can remember bumping into Jayne outside an ACR gig in Manchester - she was a very pleasant lady.

The Paris Angels career was not a long one. They moved from the small Manchester label Sheer Joy to one of the band eating majors - on this occasion Virgin. The label tried to make a hit out of Perfume - but it peaked at 55 and with it went their chances of a prolonged career.

It was a shame as Perfume remains one of my favourite records to this day and the album Sundew is well worth a listen as well.