... a few words...

... I have always been surrounded by music,  I grew up with music ranging from the early fiftys, sixties on thru the hard and rough early seventies. I don't remember what year it was, either in late '74 or early '75 when I first heard Frank. I was staying with my aunt in Boston, and to this day I couldn't tell you whether it was Boston or DC or whether it was Angel or one Frank's early bands, I orginially heard in that club that night. But the voice I heard would change and influence my singing and musical direction from that night (you would be surprised how many bars one can get into when one's aunt is dating a bouncer).

They say that the voice of a band is what can make or break it, and while I am a firm believer that a band is a fusion of all it's members, it is the voice that most people notice first. Frank's voice is and always has been unique, and will be always associated with Angel, yet I knew it was Frank singing on the "Flashdance" album long before it I confirmed it. I have heard Frank's voice compared to many other singers, and yet none have come close to the clairity or style. I have heard his major influence was Robert Plant, but it seems more likely to compare his style to David Byron in Uriah Heep's glory days and when I heard "Chicken Soup" live the first time, it seemed more of a leaning toward Freddie Mercury.

In these later days, I have wondered whether Journey would have become the sucess they did, if they hadn't added Steve Perry, when they did. Mr. Perry voice wasn't as clearly defined as Frank's, yet style and projection were similar. If Angel had made it one more year, I feel that Journey would not have had the chance to fill the void that was left behind when Angel folded their wings for the final time(this has happened many times before, i.e. when Branigan went into semi-retirement, Celine Dion kinda fell into the void to replace her). When Gregg Giuffria started to put a new band together, with the idea of using the name "Angel", I wasn't excited I was in dread, it was just as well they went on to be called "Giuffria", so at least defined their own idenity of sorts (though they did sound an awful lot like Angel with Steve Perry singing, didn't they).

Now as the millenium approaches, like a phoenix, once again Angel is again rising from the ashes as have many of the other bands of the late seventies, with a new album "In The Beginning" forthcoming and once again Frank's voice will be the Voice of Heaven, and after twenty some odd years I look forward to hearing that voice again. I and the others in Earthforce are here and behind you and Barry, as we always were, and have never forgotten what we have seen and heard. Thank you, you have been sorely missed "...and the music shall not perish, on earth as it is in heaven.."

Back

Who were these guys?, please use link above