Paris Angels

{{Short description|British rock and dance band (1989–1991)}} {{Use British English|date=March 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Paris Angels | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = [[Ashton-under-Lyne]], England | genre = [[Alternative rock]], [[alternative dance]], [[Madchester]] | years_active = 1990–1992; 2013–present | label = Sheer Joy Records, [[Virgin Records]], Stereokill Recordings | associated_acts = [[Black Grape]] | website = | current_members = | past_members = Paul "Wags" Wagstaff (deceased) Rikki Turner Steven Tajti (deceased) Scott Carey Mark Adj Jane Gill Simon Worrall (deceased) }}

'''Paris Angels''' were an English seven-piece band from [[Guide Bridge]], [[Ashton-under-Lyne]],<ref name=Worrall20111115 /> [[Greater Manchester]], England, associated with the [[Madchester]] scene of 1989–1991. Their music fused [[Indie (music)|indie]] guitars with [[electronica|electronic]] [[dance music]]. The band comprised Paul 'Wags' Wagstaff (later of [[Black Grape]] and the reformed [[Happy Mondays]]), Rikki Turner, Steven Tajti, Scott Carey, Mark Adj, Jane Gill and Simon Worrall.

==History== The band were regulars of the [[Boardwalk (music club)|Boardwalk]] and [[The Haçienda|Haçienda]] clubs in Manchester,<ref name=Worrall20111115 /> and as such were heavily influenced by [[acid house]] and the nascent [[Madchester]] scene of the late 1980s.

The band first signed a [[recording contract]] with Sheer Joy Records.<ref name=MDMACareyScott>{{cite web|last=Carey|first=Scott|title=Man From Delmonte, Paris Angels, Rig, Rowetta, Ruthless Rap Assassins, Krispy 3 press article 1990|url=http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/archive/showartefact.php?bid=715|work=Manchester District Music Archive|accessdate=7 December 2011}}</ref> There they were introduced to producer Michael Johnson; the product was their most well-known song "Perfume (All on You)", a synthesis of 1960s jangle and [[disco]]. It was 'single of the week' in the ''[[NME]]''<ref name=NME19900621>{{cite news|title=Single of the Week|accessdate=7 December 2011|newspaper=NME|date=21 June 1990|url=https://www.nme.com/|archivedate=5 June 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070605222115/http://www.nme.com/}} [http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/archive/showartefact.php?aid=971&bid=715 Alt URL]</ref> and stayed in the [[Top 40|Top 10]] of the [[UK Indie Chart]] in the summer of 1990.<ref name=MDMACareyScott /> This was closely followed by "Scope" and "I Understand"; the latter of which was the single of the week in the final edition of ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]''.

On the back of their early success, the band signed to [[Virgin Records]]<ref name=Worrall20111115 /> and released new single "Fade" and re-released "Perfume" to back up Paris Angels only album, ''[[Sundew (album)|Sundew]]'', to favourable reviews from ''NME'', ''Vox'' and ''[[Melody Maker]]''.<ref name=MDMACareyScott /> Paris Angels then [[sound recording and reproduction|recorded]] a [[Peel session|session]] for [[BBC Radio 1]] disc jockey [[John Peel]]. "Stay", appeared on the best of the Peel Session's [[box set]], and they had other radio and television sessions. In March 1991, ''NME'' reported that Paris Angels were appearing at the 'Great Indie Festival – A Midsummer's Daydream' at [[Milton Keynes Bowl]] in June that year. Also, on the bill were [[808 State]], [[Gary Clail]], [[New Fast Automatic Daffodils]], [[The Shamen]], [[Shades of Rhythm (band)|Shades of Rhythm]] plus [[Flowered Up]].<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{cite book | first= John | last= Tobler | year= 1992 | title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years | edition= 1st | publisher= Reed International Books Ltd | location= London | page= 482 | id= CN 5585}}</ref>

Paris Angels recruited long-time collaborator Simon Crompton to produce their next album for Virgin, however with the sale of Virgin to [[EMI]], Paris Angels were removed from its roster. The completed album was never released. They were one of the last bands to leave during this cull along with [[Public Image Ltd]] and [[Definition of Sound]].<ref name=MDMACareyScott />

Left with no recording contract, and with singer Jane Gill pregnant, the band called it a day.

Wagstaff returned with Black Grape and the Happy Mondays. Rikki Turner played in St. Jack Steven. Taji went on to record with The Rude Club. Bassist Scott Carey recorded with Chelsea-based band The Shave and hosted The Evening Session and Transmission on Manchester radio station [[The Revolution (radio station)|96.2 The Revolution]].

Drummer Simon Worrall died on 2 November 2011.<ref name=Worrall20111115>{{cite web|last1=Aubergine|last2=Robb|first1=Cath|first2=John|authorlink2=John Robb (musician)|title=Simon Worrall R.I.P.|url=http://www.music-dash.co.uk/news/news.asp?item=3007|work=Manchester Music|accessdate=7 December 2011|date=15 November 2011}}</ref><ref name=LTWRobb20111108>{{cite web|last=Robb|first=John|title=Simon Worrall from the Paris Angels RIP…|url=http://louderthanwar.com/blogs/simon-worrall-from-the-paris-angels-rip|work=Louder Than War|accessdate=7 December 2011|authorlink=John Robb (musician)|date=8 November 2011}}</ref> Steven Tajti died in February 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Very sad news - Steven "Toity" Tajti passed away. |url=https://twitter.com/ParisAngelsuk/status/1756978724795216080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1756978724795216080%7Ctwgr%5E1a8f236ee8ce3aeb8bd9536ad76f5b660ec093fa%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fforums.deathlist.net%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FParisAngelsuk%2Fstatus%2F1756978724795216080 |website=Paris Angels on X |access-date=12 February 2024}} </ref>

In 2013, the band reformed to play live and signed a deal with Stereokill Recordings to finally issue their second album, recorded in 1992. After the deal fell through, the group instead made the album available as a free download on [[Bandcamp]].<ref name="parisangels">{{cite web|title=Paris Angels bandcamp page|url=http://parisangels.bandcamp.com/album/eclipse-album-sampler|accessdate=28 April 2013|authorlink=J|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130628172314/http://parisangels.bandcamp.com/album/eclipse-album-sampler|archivedate=28 June 2013}}</ref><ref name=gigslutz>{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Exclusive interview with Paris Angels|url=http://www.gigslutz.co.uk/exclusive-interview-with-paris-angels/|work=gigslutz.co.uk|accessdate=21 August 2015}}</ref>

Wagstaff died in March 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=RIP Wags |url=https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122139756710582638&id=61567479145135&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=isqL9r1zdGZrKXSu# |website=Steve Harrison on Facebook |access-date=22 March 2025 |date=22 March 2025}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Singles=== * "Scope" (Sheer Joy 1990) – [[UK Singles Chart|UK]] No. 75 * "Perfume" / "All on You" (Sheer Joy 1990) – UK No. 55 * "Oh Yes" (Sheer Joy 1991) * "Fade" (Virgin Records 1991) – UK No. 70 * "Perfume (Loved Up)" (Virgin Records 1991)<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 417}}</ref> * "Door to Summer" (Bandcamp 2015) – free download * "Complete Mind" (Bandcamp 2015) – free download * "Shake" (Bandcamp 2015) – free download

===Albums=== * ''[[Sundew (album)|Sundew]]'' (Virgin Records 1991) – [[UK Albums Chart|UK]] #37<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/><ref>[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p604323/discography|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic.com – Discography]</ref> * ''Eclipse'' (Bandcamp, August 2015)

==See also== *[[List of bands from Manchester]] *[[List of bands from England]] *[[List of Peel sessions]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070510112444/http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile Paris Angels on My Space] * {{discogs artist|Paris Angels}} * {{YouTube|-X5ekIFIazg|Video for "Perfume"}} * {{YouTube|x2h3OIazD-Q|Video for "Fade"}} * [https://archive.today/20130628172314/http://parisangels.bandcamp.com/album/eclipse-album-sampler Paris Angels on Bandcamp]

[[Category:Alternative rock groups from Greater Manchester]] [[Category:Madchester groups]] [[Category:English house music groups]] [[Category:English alternative rock groups]] [[Category:Alternative dance musical groups]]