Rock City Angels: Use Once And Destroy

Even if you’ve never heard their music, you may remember bits and pieces of the Rock City Angels saga. Take one quick lap around the internet and you’ll find no shortage of tales, rumors and conspiracy theories, from having a pre-famous Johnny Depp on guitar to Geffen records alleged death threat against a competing record label and subsequently “burying” the Angels in Memphis so that their label mates Guns N’ Roses career could flourish unchallenged.

As the saying goes, "There are three sides to every story. My side, your side, and the truth. And no one is lying." So, rather than wasting time debating who tried to kill who, or why certain careers flourished while others languished, why not take a look at the indisputable facts that are a matter of public record? Two records in fact: “Young Man’s Blues” and “Use Once and Destroy”.

Twenty one years after its release, “Young Man’s Blues” still has an authentic, timeless quality lacking in many other bands’ releases of the period. 1988 is not a year known for its soul, but the Angels had it – from the John Lee Hooker influenced “Deep Inside My Heart” to the spaghetti western inspired “South of the Border” with a whole ‘lotta snarling blues-based punk attitude in between with a healthy dash of Stax-flavored soul on top.

After completion of the album and a video for "Deep Inside My Heart", the band went on the road with Jimmy Page, Joan Jett and the Georgia Satellites. The album did well in the U.S., selling 100,000 copies, but it was overseas where they shined. At the end of 1990 the Angels headed to Japan, where the album had gone gold.

Due to a million reasons that you’ll find in the above mentioned rumor mill, and a select few lesser known reasons that are probably closer to the truth, the band broke up in 1993.

Almost twenty years to the date of the release of “Young Man’s Blues” the now reformed Rock City Angels released the much-anticipated follow-up, “Use Once and Destroy”. Eleven tracks of punk rock driven apocalyptic blues, soul and roots, “Use Once …” captures the heart, soul and grit of the Rock City Angels without any major label filters in place, and the reviews have been amazing:

"We DESERVE rock'n'roll to be this good."Pepsi Sheen - Sleazegrinder

"Rock City Angels have returned with the stellar new self-released album "Use Once and Destroy"!"Ken McIntyre - Classic Rock Magazine

"Rock and Roll has once again reared its head in retaliation of the dreaded ho hum. If it crosses my path, I share and sound the trumpet, and no louder will it resonate than for the new CD from Rock City Angels."Lucky - SugarBuzz Magazine

In support of the new record, the Angels kicked off a string of shows in the summer of 2009.

In 2010 FnA Records released “Midnight Confessions”, a collection of lost recordings made between 1989 and 1992 that were intended to be the Geffen released follow-up to 1988’s “Young Man’s Blues”.