I’m not gonna front like I was a big Bang Tango fan in the band’s late ’80s / early ’90s heyday — I could maybe hum you a few bars of “Someone Like You” (pre-Adele) at best, but I was really too young — although I’ve enjoyed their music enough since then to loosely follow whatever Joe LeSte is doing, and I absolutely LOVED the debut Beautiful Creatures album. I have no idea how many times Bang Tango have broken up and gotten back together or who played in the band each time, but  whenever something new comes out that says “Bang Tango” on it I’m always interested in a listen.

BT’s new album Pistol Whipped In The Bible Belt came out in September of last year, and now they’ve released a music video for “I Like It,” posted below. The video isn’t nearly half as entertaining as the video of drunken Joe LeSte babbling to an audience, but the song itself is catchy and memorable and LeSte sounds really good (and, in the beginning, very zezy and un-LeSte-like). Watch it below, then get freaky with us in the comments section.

-VN

When Metal Sludge reminded us of its glory days last month with a new list of the Top 10 Drunkest Living Rock Stars of All Time I was surprised to see Bang Tango / Beautiful Creatures frontman Joe LeSte place #9. I mean it wouldn’t surprise me if he was a drunk, but could he really out-do Chris Holmes’ famous pool interview, ranked at #10?

Then I saw this footage, linked in the article:

Note his band members roll their eyes after being addressed as “fuckheads” following a minute of Joe’s drunken ranting. Followed by more ranting, more eye-rolling and a lame cover. With a missed intro cue. This video is sad in so many ways!

And then this:

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It’s the kind of thing that happens mostly in dreams and Mark Wahlberg movies, but a random fan actually got to fill-in on vocals with one his favorite bands this past weekend. When Bang Tango (and Beautiful Creatures) frontman Joe LeSte was taken ill prior to their November 25th performance in Chicago, a man by the name of TJ did a respectable job taking LeSte’s place for an abbreviated 5 song set. Bang Tango aren’t quite Judas Priest and Joe LeSte ain’t exactly Rob Halford, but this story is still pretty fucking cool. That guy will remember this night forever.

Here’s some fan-filmed footage of TJ performing “Someone Like You” with Bang Tango.

What’s the current status of Beautiful Creatures, anyway? Which third-rate guitarist is currently filling the slot vacated by second-rate GN’R axeman DJ Ashba? Inquiring metal bloggers would like to know.

-VN

Directly from the horse’s mouth comes the news that “guitarist n’ songwriter [emphasis added to point out mental retardation] Dj Ashba… officially replaces current NIN guitarist Robin Finck” in Guns N’ Roses. “Once Dj’s name was in the hat, the hat disappeared!!” benevolent dictator Axl Rose exclaims, doing his best impersonation of my Uncle Morty.

Showing that Rose at least has a sense of humor, the statement concludes: “Now, one step closer to the abyss, Ashba joins a band who’s all time roster is nearly as long as it’s [sic] founder Axl Rose’s rap sheet!” Oh, Axl, you scamp.

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