In 1983 Hanoi Rocks were newly signed to CBS Records, and
tipped as the next big thing. They found themselves kicking their heels in
London with a few weeks off. Meanwhile, Knox from The Vibrators had some great
new songs but was kicking his heels whilst his band was taking a break. As they
shared a manager, the two problems were easily solved; record an album
together! Calling the band Fallen Angels the core was; Knox (Ian M. Carnochan,
from The Vibrators) on vocals and guitar, and the Hanoi Rocks rhythm section:
Sam Yaffa (Sami Takamäki, bass), Razzle (Nicholas Dingley, drums) and Nasty
Suicide (Jan Stenfors, rhythm and some lead guitar). The album was rehearsed
and recorded in the winter of 1983 at the now legendary Alaska Studios down
under the arches at Waterloo, London. The pair-up worked wonderfully. The Rocks
were long-time fans of the Vibrators, and Knox's songs and style always had an
element of the glam-trash rock roots of the Stooges, Velvet Underground and NY
Dolls. The first release was the 7” single "Amphetamine Blue/He’s A Rebel"
(FALL 022) released early in 1984. The album "FALLEN ANGELS" (FALL LP
23) was release in April 1984 (with a cover painting by Knox depicting a murder
scene outside the 100 Club in London's Oxford Street), with the final single
release in May 1984 on 7” "Inner Planet Love/Precious Heart" (FALL
027) and 12” with the additional tracks “Partners In Crime/Houston Tower/Dagger
In My Heart” (FALL 12 027). Guests on the first album were Cosmic Ted (Michael
Monroe) and the Psychedelic Kid (Andy McCoy).
After the album and 2 singles were released the
participants went their own way before any live shows of this line-up could
occur. Knox continued with the Fallen Angels name for his solo work, issuing a
further two albums “In Loving Memory” (dedicated to Rocks and Angels' drummer
Razzle who died in a Motley Crue car accident) and “Wheel Of Fortune”, which
included guest appearances from various Hanoi Rocks members on both.