Monday 1 August 2022

Angelyne

Angelyne (born Ronia Tamar Goldberg, October 2, 1950) is an American singer, actress, media personality, and model who came to prominence in 1984 after the appearance of a series of iconic billboards in and around Los Angeles, California, with only one word, "Angelyne". These caught the attention of local media outlets, and soon she received several offers for film roles, magazine interviews, and television show appearances. The main trademark of her celebrity persona is a pink Corvette.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1978, Angelyne joined the punk band Baby Blue. They performed in local clubs in L.A. and once opened along with Rubber City Rebels for The Screamers' show at the Whisky a Go Go. The punk rock club The Masque served as a rehearsal place for the band. They released a single "Rock n' Roll Rebel" with a b-side, "Fantasy Man". Only 1,000 copies of the record were made and distributed in England. The band wasn't getting much attention, so they decided to promote it by posting her picture around town. In 1979, the single "Too Much to Touch" was released under the name Angelyne, also promoted by posters and flyers. 

 

 

 

 


 





In 1982, she released a self-titled debut album on an independent label Erika Records. The 12" picture disc contained 11 songs, including two versions of "Sexy Stranger", a cover of Elvis Presley's hit "Teddy Bear," and the main single "Kiss Me L.A.". Another series of bus-shelter posters promoted the album. In July 1983, Erika Records released another Angelyne single, "My List", accompanied by a music video. In February 1984, Angelyne's first billboard proclaiming "Angelyne Rocks" went up on Sunset Boulevard.












In 1986, she released her second album, Driven to Fantasy, on her label, Pink Kitten. An enhanced pink vinyl re-issue of the album was later released in Italy. In June 1987, an 85 feet high mural depicting Angelyne was painted on the side of a building on Hollywood and Vine. The same year, her friend Nina Hagen got her recording with Michael "Doc" Dosco, who had previously worked with Hagen on her album Nina Hagen in Ekstasy. He wrote and produced several songs for Angelyne, including "Animal Attraction," which was later featured in Julien Temple's movie Earth Girls Are Easy, where Angelyne had a cameo. The single was released in 1988 with remixes by Italian producer Pino Toma. Hagen mentioned Angelyne in her song "Super Freak Family," and her voice can be heard in "Pillow Talk".




Angelyne is also an artist; she began painting in 1998 and has had several art shows in Los Angeles. She has run for Governor of California twice, during the recall elections of Gray Davis in 2003 and Gavin Newsom in 2021.