Michael Steele (musician)
| Michael Steele | |
|---|---|
Steele in 2003
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Susan Nancy Thomas |
| Also known as | Micki Steele |
| Born |
June 2, 1955 Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock, folk rock, blues rock, pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass guitar, flute, piano |
| Years active | 1975–2005 |
| Associated acts | The Runaways,the Bangles |
| Notable instruments | |
| Fender Precision Bass | |
Michael Steele (born Susan Nancy Thomas on June 2, 1955) is an American bassist, guitarist, songwriter, and singer. She was a member of the Bangles and the Runaways, along with other bands.
Steele began her professional career as Micki Steele in the teen-girl band the Runaways, one of the first all-female rock groups. Steele's stay in the Runaways was brief, leaving the band in late 1975, months before the recording of their first self-titled album. The main recording of this early period is an August 1975 demo session, bootlegged and later released as the 1993 album Born to Be Bad, with Steele playing bass and singing lead vocals on most songs. Additionally, this release also has her first songwriting credit with "Born to Be Bad", cowritten with Sandy West and Kim Fowley. In September 1975 the Runaways recorded a second demo at the famed Gold Star Studios, to this date officially unreleased.
Steele's departure from the group has been given several interpretations—her own account being that she was fired by svengali-like manager Kim Fowley for refusing his sexual propositions and calling the band's debut single "Cherry Bomb" stupid. Fowley would further denigrate her for blowing a chance at fame and not possessing sufficient "magic" or "megalo" to make it in the music industry.
Steele played in many Los Angeles bands between 1976 and 1983, including the power-pop outfit Elton Duck (1979–80), an early version of Slow Children (1979), Toni and the Movers with Jack Sherman (1980 - '81), the improvisational band Nadia Kapiche (1981) and a brief period as bass player in avant-garde rock outfit Snakefinger. Focusing on her musical technique and frequently playing live, in this period Steele became a highly regarded bassist noted for her melodic style and rich tone, influenced by bassists such as Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, Colin Moulding and Carol Kaye.
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