Debbi Peterson
PERFORMS WITH: The Bangles
About the Artist
Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Vicki Peterson and Michael Steele all agree that the return of The Bangles was a natural evolution. They came back together for the purest of motives-simply because they enjoy making music together. They also all agree that they needed a break from the group to do whatever it was they chose to do. Their time away from each other was well spent. The experiences they had working with other musicians and exploring other areas of life-including parenting for two of the members-have given The Bangles' new musical opportunities that might have been missed, had they continued the album/tour, album/tour agenda that kept them at the top of the charts and on sold-out world tours during the 1980s.Bonds run deep when you've been through what The Bangles have gone through together. During their first eight years as a band, The Bangles rose from Los Angeles' cultish "Paisley Underground" scene to achieve platinum-level success, bringing an organic pop sensibility back to '80s airwaves while serving as a role model for a generation of female rockers. After an EP, The Bangles made their album debut with the 1984 album, All Over The Place, which contained the college radio hits "Hero Takes A Fall" and "Going Down to Liverpool." But it was their second album, Different Light, that catapulted them to stardom on the strength of four hits: the Prince-penned "Manic Monday," Jules Shear's "If She Knew What She Wants," "Walking Down Your Street" and "Walk Like An Egyptian." With the last one, they became the first all female band to have a #1 record for four weeks straight and the album went quadruple platinum. Their third album, Everything, contained the hits "In Your Room" and "Be With You," plus another #1 hit, "Eternal Flame," which became the fifth biggest selling hit of 1989. A Greatest Hits collection released the following year also went platinum.
All four members continued recording and performing during the hiatus. Debbi Peterson (vocals/drums) also started a family. She married Steve Botting in 1989 and now has a three year old son. Her first gig when The Bangles went on hiatus was a tribute concert to Roy Orbison where she sang "Pretty Woman" with k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris among others. She then was invited to be a guest drummer with Spinal Tap at a show in Los Angeles. Peterson also collaborated on songwriting with Gina Schock from the Go-Gos. She later co-founded the band Kindred Spirit with Siobhan Maher. They opened up for Joan Armatrading on a UK tour and released a self-titled debut album.
