Balaam & The Angel

On March 24th 1986, BALAAM AND THE ANGEL released the single 'She Knows'. Mark Morris, Jim Morris and Des Morris - vocalist and bassist, guitarist, and drummer respectively.

Moving south from Scotland to the English Midlands, they formed Balaam and the Angel in the early 80s, borrowing the name from the Old Testament story of the prophet whose donkey was made to speak by an angel - a piece of Biblical mysticism that fitted the brooding atmosphere they were constructing around themselves.

Where many bands of the era applied gothic trappings like a coat of paint, the Morris brothers seemed to arrive at them from a different angle entirely. Their early path was self-funded and self-directed.

They set up their own Chapter 22 Records label and began releasing a series of 12-inch EPs: 'World of Light'in November 1984, followed by 'Love Me'and 'Day and Night'in 1985.

These were lean, post-punk records with a psychedelic undercurrent that set them slightly apart from the more strictly monochrome end of the goth scene.

A run of support dates for The Cult including the 'She Sells Sanctuary'tour of 1985 - sharpened their live act and helped raise their profile considerably. 'She Knows; was among the first fruits of that major-label relationship, released on Virgin Records.

It was a confident statement of intent: three and a half minutes of driven, atmospheric rock with Mark's low, commanding vocals sitting over Jim's guitar work and Des's firm rhythmic foundation.

The song appeared as the third track on their debut album "THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD" - between 'Don't Look Down'and 'Burn Me Down'- and it illustrated precisely what the band did well: a melodic directness that their underground reputation sometimes obscured.