About Me
The Angelo StoryRatt and Bongy Angelo (unfortunate first names they know) were originaly born and brought up in East London. The two brothers had always had an interest in music from a young age and have been writing songs with each other since they can remember. In 1998 they moved to Lichfield and met a young guitarist by the name of Mason. Mason was an inteligent lad, but rather than putting his genius to good use he used it to master the art of pc strategy games and was subsequently expelled from primary school, failed his gcse's and had to repeat 6th form 3 times before giving up. It was around this time he decided to sell medievil total war and buy himself a telecaster. While he was waiting in s&j for his guitar, he noticed an advert for lead guitarist in a mormon rock band, obviously knowing he was going to be a guitar master he auditioned for the band and got in. This is where he recalls his first encounter with Bongy Angelo, "when i first met Bongy he was the singer in a band called marbella, he was very religous and a complete twat" he states. Marbella soon disintegrated after a few church gigs, but luckily brett and joe became good friends with mason, and frequently started jamming. Realising they would like to start a band and re-invent music as we no it today they started looking for a drummer and came up with the name "the angelo boys". In stepped local music man Eddie Dive, Eddie was a regular local on the scene and had succes in the early 80's fronting punk band 'dive'. This left Eddie very knowledgeable in many music forms, even the drums. Originally born Eddie Victory, he changed his name by deed pole to Eddie Dive to show his commitment to the band. Unfortunatelythe other members were not as dedicated and after 2 platinum albums the band split, leaving Eddie with a sour taste in his mouth - and a stupid name. He first met the rest of the band in a back alley in Lichfield where a woman was famously murdered. They were all out searching for bodies and decided to join forces to cover more ground. After several hours of doing so they had a fag break, and discovered Eddie was a keen drummer, and was also keen to change his ever embarresing name once again. Thus the birth of Eddie Angelo. After just four months the boys had released an 11 track album, and secured them selves into the local scene. All was not well in camp angelo after a series of arguements, spells in prison and rehab clinics across the country the band decided Bongy should just sing and the band should bring in a new bassist, they searched far and wide and the lichfield battle of the bands loomed ever closer. The band knew a miracle was needed, and a miracle was what they got. Just hours before they were due on stage, Joes mormon rituals paid off and the one and only jesus christ (now playing in DivE) steppin in on bass. But the band were cheated out of the competition but the dirty filtyh cheating YCG scum of the earth, once again they were in turmoil. After more arguements, the band spirraled out of control on course for a sudden reality check. Ratt spent time in a young offenders institute, Bongy spent time in california, gambling his time and money away. Eddie tryed a come back tour with Dive but failed and Mason spent time in chester, know one realy knows why. The band had officialy split. After his spell away Ratt went to spend time with his brother and persuaded him to quit gambling and have another go at the band they loved. They tracked Mason down and reformed without Eddie. But without any practice it looked like all was doomed again, but then as if by magic the band were a four piece again. This time things were different though, rather than concentrating on playing as well as possible and writing the best songs they could they took a different approach: to drink as much as possible before doing anything. This payed off for the band and once again were back on the scene with an ever incresing fan base. As with all things Angelo the good luck didn last long. Bongy had had lots of trouble singing at the last few gigs so went into hospital for what he thought was a routine check up, how ever the doctors were more concerned with Bongys 80 a day cigarette addiction but to the doctors surprise this wasnt the problem. After 2 x-rays they found something, the problem was down to a condom lodged in the back of Bongys throat. He claims to have no idea how it got there, and the truth has never surfaced to this day. The operation to remove it was a long an tedious one, an whilst carrying out the operation the surgeons damaged Bongys vocal chords, and left him with a kings of leon vocal range. After much debate, about whether Bongy should just sing or whether he should just play bass, the boys decided to get local front man from Sammy Wild from Wild Youth to step in and play bass to give Bongy a more active role. After a succession of top gigs around the midlands Eddie the long standing drummer decided to call it a day to once again make a come back with the best punk band around DivE. When things seemed on the up once again another blow Sammy decided to quit to start his own band. So the story goes on with Angelo, they found a new drummer also called Ed aka Ed2 and moved Bongy back onto vocals for the time being. Ed2 Quit and After a few practices Bongy decided to quit again this time for good, his girlfried just didnt want him associating with 'foul mouth yobs' as she refered to the band as. She had split the brothers up and split the band up. The brothers are still in a bitter fued of copyrights to some of the songs, whilst Mason and Eddie refuse to ever except Bongy exisisted. So after nearly 6 and a half years The Angelo Boys are no more, they had a good time and did everything they intended to do with no regrets. They came and conquered there small city but most of all had fun. It started off with four best friends, it sounds cheesey but its true, Ratty, Eddie, Mason and Bongy. At first they were shit it was fair to say that, but you cant be amazing when you first start a band, especialy because it was there first serious band for most of them. They did things abit backwards like recorded an album before playing a gig but that was cool by them. The album wasnt the best but to us it was amazing and some of the songs they couldnt believe they had written looking back on it no they wrote songs a million times better but back then they thought they were the shit. So they played our first gig at shyte nite (technically there first gig, they played at paradise to sum old ppl) , what a better crowed than all there mates and regular shyte nighters, the set they played was pretty average but they got a good reputation after that gig, or more of an infamous reputation i duno. It was that first gig that made they boys keep going i think, the feeling of playing a gig cant be beaten. I dont remember there next gig, but some where along the line Chater joined them on bass, i think he joined so Bongy could have more freedom on stage or summin, he only played one gig with them but it was cool. Eddie announced he would stay on as drummer after first sayin he would only join while they got started, so they were all relieved about that. For the next couple of months they played more and more gigs and got more fans, there songs got better thanks to the lock up and actualy having some where proper to practice, chill out and party at. They all got more confident in there abbilities and things were going well. I think it was Around this time Eddie decided to quit but then luckily joined again, i think it was also this point Bongy's commitment started to go down hill, when they had to practicly tell him he better come to practice or else. They could tell then he wasnt enjoying it then, he stopped having any input into songs or the creativity side and bought a downer on the whole group. They carried on anyway, and things got better for a while when The Cave came along. it was a regular gig for The Angelo Boys, local and had a good crowed. I reckon this was when they were at there happiest and what felt to them like there peak. Eventualy after some memorable gigs The Cave closed down, they recorded some more stuff over the summer in the lock up and everything was ok. They played some more gigs, in places like chameleon and the paradise lounge and the la rock, that was all good until chameleon closed down, Bongy got banned from paradise and then all of them except Eddie got banned from the la rock cafe, all of which was beyond there control. Along the line they lost the lock up for various reasons and so had no where to practice and no where to go and for sum of us no where to live. With no where suitable to practice they didnt do anything for a while, rumours were flying round about the band some good, some bad. Some of them tryed there best to keep the band together but Bongy seemed happier than ever, to him it finaly felt like he was free to pull away from the band. After that Bongy was never the same. The Boys became friends with Sammy (Wild Youth) and asked him to join on bass, they had somewhere to practice and what felt like a manager aka sams dad. For abit this gave them the energy they needed to keep Angelo going for abit longer, but it was starting to be a struggle, getting to practice, new songs etc.. They started doing new things like playing gigs further away they even had a new cover and a new song, something they hadnt had in months, due to no where to practice. They had fun while Sammy was in the band but the feeling wasnt the same, they announced there last gig with the current line up at the Guildhall Launchpad gig, and even recorded a demo especaily for it, with four new songs. They made the most of that gig, it was proberly there biggest crowed they had played to, and i think they all new a new angelo would never emerge. In true angelo style they were pissed out of there heads by the time they got on stage, who cares it was there last gig and it was as much to celebrate what they had done just as it was for there fans. They finished the set with a new song they had written earlier in the week, it broke down in the middle into a slow song which was kinda sad in away because it was the last time they'd ever play with that line up. They had to end in style though, the song speeded up and they smashed everything on the stage. Eddie flipped the drum kit over and i remember even seeing Bongy go for it pushing over a marshall stack. They retired backstage waited for the crowds to die down, packed up and then went somewhere to carry on drinking, i dnt think they remember where. The gig was actualy Eddie's farewell gig, but Sammy quit the band the same day to start his new band, playing guitar and singing. Ratty, Mason And Bongy kept things together for a while by finding a new drummer Ed Berriman. It was an uphill struggle though, practice after practice they had to beg Bongy to come, musicaly he still had no input, vocaly he had no input, it had came down to Ratty and Mason writting lyrics, melodies, riffs, chorus structures, everything. They finally started getting somewhere with Ed B, They had some decent songs, abit different to Angelo style, but they were good. Finally Bongy announced he'd had enough of Ratty and Mason getting onto him and decided to quit. They didnt no what they would do from here, but it was a weight of all there shoulders in a way. After that Eddie even came to practice to play bass, stating hed rejoin now Bongy had left. It wasnt an ideal line up though and with no singer they were barely a band. Ed B quit and so did they all. So what now. Its took 2 years but the people left are the people that matter. Ratty, Mason and Eddie have been planning a new band for a while and its finally on track. Theyve got the trusty old lock up back they have a drummer and are working on a new set, they even played the last ever shyte nite under the name DivE as they dont have a name yet. Keep an eye out for the new band. Written By AnonI edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
