Happy Birthday today (Oct. 15) to singer Frank DiMino of 1970's rock band Angel. He's 68. Also celebrating is singer "Dizzy" Dean Davidson of 80's hair metal band Britny Fox (59) and drummer Phil Varone (Saigon Kick) is 52.
Angel formed in the mid 1970’s out of Washington, D.C. and were known to all dress in white and were known for their elaborate stage shows. They were signed to Casablanca Records and were label mates with Kiss. Angel was discovered by Gene Simmons of Kiss when they were playing in a nightclub. He eventually signed them to the Casablanca label. In fact, there was talk of Angel touring with Kiss as part of a ‘Heaven and Hell’ Tour which would have gotten the band much needed exposure but that tour never would happen. Unfortunately, due to the lack of exposure, Angel never achieved mass commercial success but they would develop a cult following with a lineup that featured Frank DiMino on vocals, Punky Meadows on guitar, Mickie Jones on bass, Gregg Giuffria on keyboards, and Barry Brandt on drums. They released several albums between 1975 and 1981. Frank DiMino and Punky Meadows recently reunited with a new Angel lineup and released a new album called Risen via Cleopatra Records on Oct. 4. Check out the official Angel Facebook page here.
Britny Fox formed out of Philadelphia in 1986. In addition to singer and guitarist "Dizzy" Dean Davidson, the band lineup for their popular, self-titled debut album also featured Billy Childs (bass), Michael Kelly Smith (lead guitar), and Johnny Dee on drums. The debut album released in 1988 was one of the most successful debuts of the 1988-89 season, selling over a million copies. The band toured in support of the album with Poison and Warrant, playing 130 plus shows. Davidson eventually left the band and was replaced by Tommy Paris on vocals. The band disbanded in 1992. They would reunite in 2000 to record a new album and to do some touring with singer Tommy Paris. The Britny Fox "Girlschool" video was one of my favorite videos on MTV as a kid growing up (for obvious reasons). Watch the video below.
Saigon Kick formed out of Miami, Florida in 1988. The lineup with Phil Varone on drums along with singer Matt Kramer, guitarist Jason Bieler and bassist Tom Defile had success in 1992 with the album The Lizard which featured the hit power ballad, "Love Is on the Way". The song peaked at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard chart. Cheers to three true rockers on their birthday today!