Rock City Angels need a documentary.

Considering the other recently well received docs, like Anvil, Sixto Rodriguez, Killer Kane from the NY Dolls, and Tribe Called Quest, I feel RCA deserves the doc treatment.

If not to demystify the band, at least to hear multiple sides to all the rumors, legends and myths.

A pre-fame Johnny Depp played in this band. He's rumored to have played on some of the pre-debut stuff that floats around. He's credited on at least one tune on the debut. I'd love some quotes from him, of course, but at least some first hand accounts.

The whole GNR vs RCA thing, of course, would be center. Love to hear from Geffen execs. Was there really this whole "which band are we gonna push, the Guns or the Angels" thing? Did Geffen really screw RCA as bad as legend tells. Did RCA really bring in demos to the Geffen office, only to have them rejected and then hear re-worked versions of those tunes coming from Slash's guitar?

Would for sure love to hear from the surviving members of the band. Longshot, but would love to hear if any GNR members have any recollection of this stuff at all.

There really is so much interesting stuff. Plus, they were awesome.

It would, of course, have been best if it could've been made before Bobby Durango died last year. And of course, since there is no comeback or longevity (outside of a cult record and some odds and ends), and with Durango's recent passing, it wouldn't end on the highest note probably.

But I just like to listen to "Hush Child" and picture it playing at the end of a sentimental journey, over a where-are-they-now, with a dedication to Durango, and leading into the credits, which includes snippets of photos and live video.

I would imagine that Slash, G&R and Geffen still have very expensive lawyers so it's doubtful as to how close to the truth you could get.

I don't know anything of this band so it sounds interesting though.

Boris2008 wrote:

I would imagine that Slash, G&R and Geffen still have very expensive lawyers so it's doubtful as to how close to the truth you could get.

I don't know anything of this band so it sounds interesting though.

I definitely agree with that. I don't imagine anyone could actually get to the truth, but it'd be fun to hear what people have to say, even if it all conflicts with everyone else's story.

Rock City Angels were a good bluesy/sleaze band. At least that's how their one major label release is, called Young Man's Blues. Rumor is that the record label insisted they incorporate a more Nashville sleave thing into their music, to separate them from the more run-of-the-mill sleazy glam bands of the day.

They have some pre-1989 stuff that is a lot glammier. That CD is expensive, but the MP3 album is cheap.

They have some odds and ends collections, as well as a glam/punk release from some time in the 2000s, I think.

I've read some stuff on-line about their troubled past and in the right hands, it could be a really decent doc. But like Boris mentioned, there would probably be tons and tons of legal red tape to cut through in order to find the truth. And the record labels aren't going to step up and admit to wrong doings.

I have only the vaguest memories of the band and the supposed tiff between them and GNR, if memory serves legend had it that the only reason Geffen signed them and released their record was because the GNR camp considered them a "threat" so they convinced Geffen to snap 'em up and then bury the album before any other labels could get their hands on'em.

Young Man's Blues is one of my favorites from that era.

Plus there is their whole start as a punk band that evolved into Rock City Angels. So their story also mirrors what the trends in music were and how they grew. I agree this would make a helluva documentary.

It wasn't uncommon for major labels to sign a band, record an album and then either shelve it completely or release it with no push...just to eliminate competition from the other artists on their roster. A dirty way to do business, but it's legal and effective.

A whole documentary on the shady dealings of the music industry could be good too. I'm sure there are lots of other bands out there that got the shaft in a similar fashion.

Like Shawn said, part of the rumors is standard operating procedure for big labels. I have doubts regarding demos ending up on G-n-R tunes. I heard most of the songs on Appetite played live in the clubs before they were signed. The only tune that might "float on that boat" would maybe be "Paradise City" ? The RCA shows I saw were always pretty bad, not due to the songs though. Just nightmare performances.....loaded musicians and musical chair line-ups usually make a bad recipe.

Here's the story of RCA in a nutshell if anyone cares to read it...

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/features/cult-heroes-no-xx-rock-city-angels/

Page 1 is a tribute to the then-recently deceased frontman, Bobby Durango. The background story starts on Page 2.