Punky Meadows (born Edwin Lionel Meadows Jr. on February 6, 1950) is an American guitarist best known as a member of the band Angel between 1975 and 1980, and for his glam rock image.
Background and early career
Meadows grew up in the Barnaby Terrace neighborhood of southeast Washington, D.C as the oldest of four brothers. He attended Draper Elementary and Hart Junior High Schools, the latter where he started playing guitar.[1] Barnaby Terrace also produced guitar icons Danny Gatton, Roy Clark, and Link Wray.[citation needed]
In 1964 Meadows and three others formed their first band, the Intruders. The band included Chris Grimes (born 1948), Doug Grimes (born 1951) and Larry Gray. All grew up listening to the Beatles and other British Invasion bands.
After Cherry People disbanded, Meadows and Mickie Jones formed Daddy Warbux, later BUX, which released one album.[2]Angel formed after the two met Gregg Giuffria and then Barry Brandt and Frank Dimino, choosing the name "Angel" after the song by Jimi Hendrix,[1] of whom Meadows was a fan.
Angel released studio albums from 1975 to 1979 and the live album Live Without a Net in 1980, and disbanded not long thereafter after not achieving mass critical or popular success, except in Japan. Meadows, however, both during his tenure with the band and thereafter was invited to join Kiss, Aerosmith, and the New York Dolls, all of which he turned down.[1]
The band's glam rock image was said to be the antithesis of Kiss,[2] and Meadows became the most strongly associated with the persona, so much so that Frank Zappa ridiculed his trademark pout and hair in the song "Punky's Whips", available on Zappa In New York. Meadows, however, was "flattered" and eventually ended up onstage during a Zappa concert in his Angel costume.[1]
In 2015, Meadows announced a return to the music business. He released the solo album "Fallen Angel" on May 20, 2016, by Mainman Records. The album was written and produced by Punky Meadows and best friend Danny "Farrow" Anniello. Live shows followed. Billboard listed the album at #6 in the Top 100 New Artists, #25 in Top 100 Rock Albums, #32 in Top Independent Albums, and #133 in the Billboard Top 200 physical sales. The album was also released in Europe on Escape Music and in Japan on Rubicon Records.
Personnel on the album:
Punky Meadows – lead guitar, rhythm guitar
Danny Farrow – rhythm guitar, vocals
Felix Robinson – bass guitar
Chandler Mogel – lead vocals
Bob Pantella – drums
Charlie Calv – keyboards
Discography
The Intruders 1964–1965
The English Setters 1965–1967
Tragedy b/w If She's All Right (March 1966)
Someday You'll See b/w It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog (July 1966)
Wake Up b/w She's in Love (January 1967)
The Cherry People 1967–1972
Albums and singles
The Cherry People (1968)
And Suddenly b/w Imagination (1968)
I'm The One Who Loves You b/w Gotta Get Back (To the Good Life) (1968)
