The Bangles / M Steele: 'Following' (1986 'Different Light')

The Bangles perform another Michael Steele-penned gem, the introspective and dark 'Following', lifted from their 1986 hit album, 'Different Light' (which also features that damnable commercial hit that has cursed the Bangles artistically - 'Walk Like an Egyptian'). Michael sings and plays acoustic guitar (pretty damn well, too).

To my mind and ear, this unheralded track was perhaps the most interesting song on this album, and highlights bassist Michael Steele as still - even today - an undiscovered treasure of a songwriter and performer of songs charged with musical and emotional depth and complexity. There's a haunting mood evoked here that departs from that of the rest of the sunny, Southern California Bangles sound circa 1986. Too bad that this song never got much airplay at the time. And so, in the hopes of gaining more exposure today for this cut, this video has been created and posted.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Following
• Michael
• Micki
• Steele
• bassist
• Bangles
• Different
• Light
• 1986

[CurtL33]

Awesome! well done

[mariandelochs]

@CurtL33

Thanks - have to give credit where it's due - the music inspired it all.

[chanorsi]

Love this song. Vocal and guitar phrasing remind me of Bruce Cockburn. The best cuts never receive the acclaim they deserve. Kudos for posting this mature evocative work, and for the the thoughtful commentary. I could not agree more.

[ShaneSamsa]

@ugowar I don't think its been officially confirmed, but I believe it is indeed her playing guitar on this recording. And it only took two takes at the end of the Different Light sessions, true story.

[ugowar]

A very dark tune, but I can't stop listening to it for some reason. Can this even be called a Bangles song and not a Michael Steele performance instead? Is she the one playing guitar as well?

[SaddleSoreSista1]

This is one of my favourites and I think if released now as a single it would do very well. Its an extraordinary song written and sung by Michael Steele. What is most intriguing is the ambiguity in the lyrics. The gender of the ex-lover is not explicitly stated, although ambiguities in the lyrics suggest that the narrator may be referring to a female ex-lover. Steele has indicated that Following was derived from personal experience, stating in a 2003 internet chat: "high school sweetheart."

[Darkeye66]

Always the real talent in the band this girl,Susanna Hoff had raging bimbo-itis and annoyed me.

[zoldes]

However it is a song that is fairly dark. Not radio music type. Also short. You have to be in the right mood to get this song. Or be the right person. So for all these reasons it may not be widely known. Maybe she didn't get rich or famous because of it, but it's it's value is hard to measure anyway. It's irreplaceable. I always say one song, one book, one picture is as much as we can ask from one person. Luckily we have many and more added every day. All we can say is thank you! Thank You!

[zoldes]

I don't even know how I found this song, but I knew from the beginning that is it a Steel song not Bangles. Nothing against Bangles but even the Beatles members take pride in some of the songs they wrote, even if at the end the whole group was involved.

The emotional content of this song is very high. Reaching me in places I can't touch otherwise. A song is an emotion that the writer puts in the song and the listener feels. She did that very well.

[Gooniegirl3333]

This has to be my favorite Bangles song ever. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful and captivating song.

[mariandelochs]

@wtzytjwx

Hmm, now that you mention it, they do fit the song very well! Funny how that happened!