Book Review: Eternal Flame

From their first meeting in 1981, the Bangles were ambitious, focused, and intentional; their hard-work and determination resulted in millions of records sold across the globe, before becoming the first all-girl band to have five “Top 10” hits. Not long after coming together, they toured the world, released #1 records, and collaborated with the biggest artists of the day. They seemed unstoppable—until tensions within the band, artistic differences, and the pressures of sudden celebrity tore them apart less than a decade later.

This is the story of those eight years: of a diverse and vibrant Los Angeles music scene, unfettered work ethics and self-belief, the dawn of MTV, the unpredictable consequences of fame, life as a touring band, and their rapid rise to global domination--then imploding at the height of success. But it’s also a story of the very real challenges faced by women attempting to follow their artistic dreams in a media and music industry ecosystem which seemed set up for their failure from the start.

Eternal Flame: The Authorized Biography of the Bangles by Jennifer Otter Bickerdike will be published on February 18, 2025. Hachette Books provided an early galley for review.

I became a fan of the Bangles music in the mid-80's. So, this new book that encapsulates their history was something which very much interested me.

Bickerdike has several music-themed books to her credit, so she clearly has the credentials to deliver here. Having strong input from three of the four mainstays (a note in the foreword indicates that Michael Steele declined to be involved with the project) gives the book a more intimate voice. Debbi and Vicki Peterson and Susanna Hoffs (among others) paint the picture of the group's rise from the LA music scene to become world-wide superstars.

For me, I learned a lot from the various configurations of line-ups before the dust settled with the configuration that most people know. I always enjoy the behind-the-scenes details about recording, touring and video production. I liked when the author was able to touch upon the personal dynamics between the band members; everyone cannot always get along all of the time so it was good to see how the tension played out as the band was achieving fame.

Of course, one of my favorite parts was the interactions of the band and Prince, which led to the song "Manic Monday" which he wrote and the band took all the way up the charts in the late fall of 1985. These fascinating insights to the enigmatic artist come from the Bangles themselves, Prince's drummer Bobby Z and others.

All in all, this was a very in-depth look into the band. I recommend it to any fans of 80's music.