Little Angels
This UK heavy rock quintet were formed in Scarborough, Yorkshire, during the late '80s. Comprising Toby Jepson (vocals), Bruce John Dickinson (guitar), Mark Plunkett (bass), Jimmy Dickinson (keyboards) and Michael Lee (drums) they were a youthful outfit, whose energy and enthusiasm in the live setting won them a loyal fan base in their native north east. Following a series of independent releases, they attracted the attention of Polydor Records. DON'T PREY FOR ME included a dozen gems of melodic, but rough-shod rock ‘n’ roll, characterized by Jepson's raucous and charismatic vocals. The big budget follow-up, mixed by the Steve Thompson/Michael Barbiero partnership, was a disappointment. Abandoning their roots, they made a concerted attempt to break into the American FM radio market, with an amalgam of Foreigner, Def Leppard, Styx and even Elton John influences. Internal disputes began to manifest themselves in 1991, drummer Michael Lee secretly auditioned for the Cult, and was ejected from the band as a result. JAMwas very well-received in 1993. However, having found their niche, effectively refining it while still enlarging their fan-base, they nevertheless elected to go their separate ways in 1994. Several farewell gigs were played, with a final album release housed on Castle.