Craving Angel was formed in 1984 By Scott Nelson aka Scott T. Schleen (Guitar), Joey Zimilich aka Joey Layte (bass) and Phill Coffman (Drums). The goal was to entertain with high energy cover tunes (AC/DC, Led Zep, UFO, etc) as well as establish original compositions. Craving Angel played the Minneapolis/St. Paul club circuit for six months with a female singer. To my knowledge she was terminated for reasons I cannot describe here. They continued to play for a couple years as a three piece and then I (Buddy Hughes) came along to fill the lead singer spot.
I immediately got us in the studio and produced our first demo with songs from the first CA CD with songs like Match the Power and Dark Horse. We continued to play and recorded a second demo and produced a video for the anthem Lust for Lust. What a great era in music. With the demo and video in hand, we headed west to LA. In 1988-1994, we played and ROCKED the sunset strip. The scene was great. Imagine a kaleidoscope of all the colors shapes and sizes of flyers from bands everywhere. From the whiskey a g0-g0 to Gazzarri's the streets were paved with them and people everywhere and ready to party.
Party we did. Playing clubs like the aforementioned along with The Troubadour, The Roxy, Filthy McNasty's (FM Station), Metal House and on and on. It was probably the best time of my life and the other's as we lived, breathed and played music. We did a lot of recording Scott and I. At one point changing the name to Straight Jacket after a falling out with the rhythm section.
We received great reviews in Music Connection and we were offered contracts. Capital records, Geffen loved the Tune Craving Angel as I entertained and talked with them trying to get a deal. between the sex, drugs and music at one point firing a bass player because he wouldn't sign the deal with Statue Records. Scott and I parted for a while. I headed back to Minneapolis to connect with family and the music scene back home.
Eventually Scott did the same thing. I compiled The music we recorded during 1986-1994 and secured a distribution deal with Minotauro Records. They were looking to re-release the" Dungeon Fortress of Rock" record. I couldn't secure it with the members of Dungeon so Scott and I worked on the material for Craving Angel and was released in 2014. It is great working with Glenn and Marko, much thanks you fucking ROCK!!!! The album is still selling and getting great reviews and you can get it just about anywhere. Minotauro wanted another album. I met with Scott again and hooked up with Erick Wright. Erick is a great musician and friend and just happened to have a studio using a Windows based app called Reaper. Unfortunately, when Scott was doing some plumbing work he smashed his guitar finger. It never healed right and he had to have surgery. Between that and his family and work obligations we never got it together.
Timing, timing, timing. Insert Jimmy Cassidy (Guitar). Jimmy and I had worked together in a band called Ripface. We connected again and this man is a writing machine. Bringing to my attention that he had a few albums of material. We wasted no time. We had tried out a few drummers. We worked with one guy and he never showed up to record. His mother was always sick and he needed to drive her to the Dr. coincidentally every time there was a session booked.
WOW, Jimmy knows how to play drums to!!!! Jimmy already had the tunes with the guitars, bass recorded. We dumped them on Erick's computer and began the recording process. Jimmy and I worked on the lyric's and melody's over the summer and came up with some killer tunes that I hope you will enjoy as much as we do.
We worked with Erick as he did the production and as we watched Jimmy playing the drums asking him, why didn't you tell us three months ago that you could play drums! Fucking hilarious.
This was a blast to make and Jimmy, Erick and I will remember the summer of 2016 and how cold it is now January 2017 as I am going tonight to master this CD.
I (Buddy Hughes) am the only original member from the inception of Craving Angel. Working with some of the best people and friends a guy could ask for. Maybe in the future and who knows, maybe all the original members can get together and love, laugh and create another Craving Angel release.
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Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine
