Balaam and the Angel explained

Balaam and the Angel
Origin:Birmingham, England
Genre:Rock, gothic rock, glam metal, hard rock
Years Active:1983–1989, 1991–present
Label:Virgin
Associated Acts:Thirteen, Twenty Flight Rockers, Airrace, The Runner Brothers
Website:Balaam and the Angel Official website
Current Members:Mark Morris
Jim Morris
Des Morris
Chris P Notes
Past Members:Ian McKean Dom Roche

Balaam and the Angel are a Scottish rock band founded by Mark, James (Jim), and Desmond (Des) Morris in Cannock, England in 1984.[1] [2]

Career

As children in Motherwell, Scotland, the Morris brothers worked in the entertainment industry as part of a cabaret act.[3] They moved south to Cannock, Staffordshire, England, where they formed Balaam and the Angel.[4]

Initially the band self-released a series of EPs and an album entitled Sun Family[5] via their own Chapter 22 label and played some tour dates opening for The Cult. This caught the attention of Virgin Records, who signed them and released their debut album, The Greatest Story Ever Told.[6] It peaked at No. 67 in the UK Albums Chart in August 1986.[7] They toured in the United States with The Mission, Kiss and label mate Iggy Pop.

A second guitarist and the first non-sibling, Ian McKean of Twenty Flight Rockers,[8] [9] [10] [11] was added to the band in 1988. The band began to move away from gothic rock music styles into a sound that had more in common with hard rock. With their new-found style, they recorded the album Live Free or Die.[12] This was soon followed up in similar style when they recorded Days of Madness,[13] before leaving Virgin Records. Their song "I'll Show You Something Special" appeared on the soundtrack for the film Planes, Trains and Automobiles.[14]

Their presence was largely ignored by the time that their 1993 album, Prime Time, had failed to interest record buyers.[3]

Members

Discography

Albums

Date of releaseAlbum Title
1985Sun Family
1987The Greatest Story Ever Told
1988Live Free or Die
1989Days of Madness
1991No More Innocence
1993Prime Time
2019That's Not the Real World

EPs

Date of releaseEP Title
1984World of Light
1985Love Me

Singles

Date of releaseSingle Title
1985Day and Night
1986She Knows UK No. 70[15]
1986Slow Down
1986Light Of The World
1986New Kind of Love (Australia only)
1987I'll Show You Something Special
1987I Love The Things You Do to Me
1988Live Free or Die (Texas Redbeard Mix)
1989I Took a Little
1990A Little Bit of Love
1993Shame on You

Compilation albums

Date of releaseCompilation Title
1987Young Virgins (featuring "Light of the World".)
2002Sun Family

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MusicMight :: Artists :: BALAAM AND THE ANGEL. 24 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150224202643/http://www.rockdetector.com/artist/united+kingdom/balaam+and+the+angel1. 2020-06-08. 24 February 2015.
  2. Web site: Balaam And The Angel. Discogs.com. 18 October 2019.
  3. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 1997. Concise. 1-85227-745-9. 82/3.
  4. Moore, Christie (2006) The Unultimate Rockopedia, AuthorHouse,, p. 27-8
  5. Web site: Balaam And The Angel - Sun Family. Discogs.com. 18 October 2019.
  6. Web site: Balaam & The Angel - The Greatest Story Ever Told. Discogs.com. 18 October 2019.
  7. Book: Roberts, David . British Hit Singles & Albums . Guinness World Records Limited . 2006 . 1-904994-10-5 . 19th . London . 40.
  8. Book: Gregory, Andy. The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002. 18 October 2002. Psychology Press. 9781857431612. Google Books.
  9. Book: International Who's who in Music: Popular music. Vol. two. 18 October 1996. Melrose Press. 9780948875076. Google Books.
  10. Book: Strong, Martin Charles. The Great Scots Musicography: The Complete Guide to Scotland's Music Makers. 18 October 2002. Birlinn, Limited. 9781841830414. Google Books.
  11. Web site: The Long and Winding Road: The Music of Mark Ferrick and Thirteen. 20 November 2013.
  12. Web site: Balaam & The Angel* - Live Free Or Die. Discogs.com. 18 October 2019.
  13. Web site: Balaam And The Angel - Days Of Madness. Discogs.com. 18 October 2019.
  14. Web site: Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) . IMDb.com. 18 October 2019.
  15. Book: Roberts, David . British Hit Singles & Albums . Guinness World Records Limited . 2006 . 1-904994-10-5 . 19th . London . 40.