Little Angels

The British hard-rock outfit Little Angels formed in Scarborough, England in 1987 while its members -- vocalist/guitarist Toby Jepson, keyboardist Jimmy Dickinson, his guitarist brother Bruce, bassist Mark Plunkett and drummer Dave Hopper -- were all attending university; at the outset, the group was forced to hone their craft primarily in area schools, as Jimmy Dickinson was too young to play clubs. Originally dubbed Mr. Thrud, Little Angels issued their debut mini-LP Too Posh to Mosh (recorded with new drummer Michael Lee) in 1987; after winning a loyal following on the strength of their live performances, including an opening set for a then-unknown Guns 'N' Roses, they were signed to Polydor, releasing the full-length Don't Prey for Me in 1989. Produced by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero, 1991's Young Gods attempted to break Little Angels in America, a move which proved unsuccessful; still, the group's fanbase at home continued to grow, and 1993's Jam even debuted at the top of the British charts. To the surprise of many, Little Angels then disbanded, with the 1994 release of the retrospective Little of the Past marking their passing; the Dickinsons later resurfaced in b.l.o.w. ~ Jason Ankeny