Balaam and the Angel
Encyclopedia
Balaam and the Angel is a rock
band formed in Cannock
, England
, during 1984.
The three founding members members of the band, the Morris brothers, are Scottish
. As children in Motherwell, they worked in the entertainment industry as part of a cabaret
act. They moved south to England to Cannock
, Staffordshire
, where they formed Balaam and the Angel.
Initially the band self-released a series of EP
's via their own Chapter 22 label
and played some tour dates opening for The Cult
. This saw Balaam and the Angel catch the attention of Virgin Records
, who signed them and released their debut album
, The Greatest Story Ever Told. It peaked at #67 in the UK Albums Chart
in August 1986. They toured in the United States
with The Mission
, Kiss
and label mate Iggy Pop
.
A second guitarist, and the first non-sibling, Ian McKean, was added to the band in 1988. The band began to move away from gothic rock
music styles into a sound that had more in common with hard rock
. With their new found style, they recorded the album Live Free or Die. This was soon followed up in similar style when they recorded Days of Madness, before being dropped by Virgin Records. Their song "I'll Show You Something Special" appeared on the soundtrack
for the film
, Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Since 1994, Balaam have used keyboard player Chris Williams (also known as Chris P Notes) in their live shows. Chris also plays keyboards on Jason Bonham's
first band Airrace's second album, Back to the Start, released in 2011.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in Cannock
Cannock
Cannock is the most populous of three towns in the district of Cannock Chase in the central southern part of the county of Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, during 1984.
The three founding members members of the band, the Morris brothers, are Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
. As children in Motherwell, they worked in the entertainment industry as part of a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
act. They moved south to England to Cannock
Cannock
Cannock is the most populous of three towns in the district of Cannock Chase in the central southern part of the county of Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, where they formed Balaam and the Angel.
Initially the band self-released a series of EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
's via their own Chapter 22 label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
and played some tour dates opening for The Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
. This saw Balaam and the Angel catch the attention of Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, who signed them and released their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, The Greatest Story Ever Told. It peaked at #67 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
in August 1986. They toured in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with The Mission
The Mission
- Film and theater :* The Mission , 1986 film by Roland Joffé* The Mission , a.k.a. Cheung fo, by Johnnie To* The Mission , 1980 German play by former East German playwright Heiner Müller, also known as The Task- Music :* The Mission , the original score album of the 1986 film by Ennio Morricone*...
, Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and label mate Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
.
A second guitarist, and the first non-sibling, Ian McKean, was added to the band in 1988. The band began to move away from gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
music styles into a sound that had more in common with hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
. With their new found style, they recorded the album Live Free or Die. This was soon followed up in similar style when they recorded Days of Madness, before being dropped by Virgin Records. Their song "I'll Show You Something Special" appeared on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Since 1994, Balaam have used keyboard player Chris Williams (also known as Chris P Notes) in their live shows. Chris also plays keyboards on Jason Bonham's
Jason Bonham
Jason John Bonham is an English drummer. Jason's parents are Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and his wife Pat Phillips. After his father's death in 1980, he has played with Led Zeppelin on different occasions, including the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London in...
first band Airrace's second album, Back to the Start, released in 2011.
Members
- Mark Morris - vocals, bass
- Ian McKean - guitar
- Jim Morris - guitar, keyboards
- Des Morris - drums
- Chris Williams - keyboards
Albums
| Title | Date of release |
| The Greatest Story Ever Told | 1986 |
| Live Free or Die | 1988 |
| Days of Madness | 1989 |
| Prime Time | 1993 |
EPs
- World Of Light - (1984)
- Love Me - (1985)
- Day and Night - (1985)
- She Knows - (1986) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#70 - Slow Down - (1986)
- No More Innocence - (1991)
Singles
- "I Love the Things You Do to Me" - (1987)
- "I'll Show You Something Special" - (1987)
- "Live Free or Die" - (1988)
- "I Took a Little" - (1989)