The Go-Go's
Encyclopedia
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock
band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard
album charts.
The Go-Go's rose to fame during the early 1980s. Their debut album, Beauty and the Beat
, is considered one of the "cornerstone albums of new wave
" (Allmusic), breaking barriers and paving the way for a host of other new American acts. When the album was released, it steadily climbed the Billboard 200
chart, ultimately reaching number one
, where it remained for six consecutive weeks. The LP
sold in excess of three million copies and reached triple platinum status, making it one of the most successful debut albums ever. The Go-Go's have sold more than seven million albums.
, California
in 1978, the Go-Go's initially consisted of Belinda Carlisle
(vocals), Jane Wiedlin
(guitar, vocals), Margot Olavarria (bass), and Elissa Bello (drums).
They were formed as a punk band and had roots in the L.A. punk community; they shared a rehearsal space with X, and Carlisle (under the name "Dottie Danger") had briefly been a member of punk-rock band The Germs. Due to a bout of mononucleosis
, she left The Germs before playing a gig.
The band started out playing at seminal punk rock
venues such as The Masque
and the Whisky A Go Go
in Los Angeles. Charlotte Caffey
(lead guitar, keyboards) was added later in 1978, and in the summer of 1979, Gina Schock
replaced Bello on drums. With these line-up changes, the group began moving towards their now more-familiar power pop
sound.
During late 1979, the band recorded a 5-song demo
at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, and in 1980 supported the British ska revival group Madness
in both Los Angeles and England. The Go-Go’s subsequently spent half of 1980 touring England, earning a sizable following and releasing the demo version of "We Got the Beat
" on Stiff Records
, which became a minor UK hit.
During December 1980, original bassist Margot Olaverria fell ill with hepatitis A
and was replaced with Kathy Valentine
, who had played guitar in bands such as Girlschool
and the Textones. Valentine had not previously played bass guitar. Carlisle also relates in her autobiography, Lips Unsealed, that another reason for Olaverria's dismissal from the Go-Go's was that she was frequently missing rehearsals, due largely to her dissatisfaction with the band's move away from hardcore punk and toward pop.
in April 1981. Their debut album, Beauty and the Beat
, was a surprise hit
; it topped the U.S. charts for six weeks in 1982 and eventually received a triple platinum
certification. The album was also a success outside the U.S. charting at #2 in Canada
, where it received a platinum certification, and #27 in Australia. In 2003, the album was ranked number 413 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
. "Our Lips Are Sealed
" and a new version of "We Got the Beat" were extremely popular singles in North America in early 1982. In this period the Go-Go's became America's sweethearts and started building a fan base.
In 1982 the group was nominated for a Grammy Award
for Best New Artist.
The follow-up album Vacation received mixed reviews and sold far less than Beauty and the Beat
. However, the album was certified Gold in the U.S. and spawned another top 10 US hit with the title track. Other singles released from the album were "Get Up and Go" and "He's So Strange", neither of which made it into the Top 40. In 1983 Vacation was nominated for a Grammy Award
for Best Packaging.
During the album's promotion the group was forced to go on hiatus when Schock underwent surgery for a congenital heart defect
.
produced album Talk Show. The album tracks "Head over Heels" and "Turn to You
" were both Top 40 hits in the US. Despite the favorable critiques, the album sold far less than the previous two, not reaching the top 10 and not receiving any certification.
Personality conflicts and creative differences within the group were also taking a toll, as were drug addiction problems for some band members. Jane Wiedlin announced her departure from the group in October 1984. The band sought a replacement for Wiedlin, and finally selected Paula Jean Brown (of Giant Sand
) as their new bassist, with Valentine moving to rhythm guitar. This line-up debuted at the 1985 Rock in Rio
festival, playing two shows, but Carlisle and Caffey soon realized their hearts were no longer in the group and decided to disband the Go-Go's in May 1985.
to re-record a cover of "Cool Jerk
" for a greatest hits
compilation.
In 1994, the same line-up got together again to release the 2-disc retrospective Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's
, which featured three new recordings. The single "The Whole World Lost Its Head
" 'bubbled under' on the US charts at #108, but became the band's first and only Top 40 hit in the UK, peaking at #29. The band toured again to promote the release; ex-Bangle
Vicki Peterson
stood in on several dates for Caffey, who was pregnant.
In 1997, Schock sued the other members of the group, claiming that she had not been properly paid for her contributions since 1986 and that a songwriting agreement with Caffey had been breached. The suit was resolved by 1999 when the band reunited for a brief tour and they finally began to resolve their personal differences.
. Green Day
's lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong
co-wrote the only released single "Unforgiven". The album was well-received by critics, and peaked at number #57 in the Billboard 200
chart.
Also in 2001, the Go-Go's, along with artists Elton John
, Billy Joel
, David Crosby
, and Paul Simon
, performed at the concert "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson
" at Radio City Music Hall
, hosted by the TNT network.
", Wiedlin said: "We have no set plans at the moment, and every year it seems to get a little more complicated trying to get together to do stuff. We are now living in FIVE different places, which makes it a real challenge to get together. Still, we love to make music, so anything could happen."
In 2011 the Go-Go's announced the Ladies Gone Wild tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of Beauty and the Beat.
in 2009. She recently starred in London's West End production of the musical Hairspray
. Charlotte Caffey along with Anna Waronker
wrote the music for the rock opera Lovelace: A Rock Opera based on the life of infamous porn star, Linda Lovelace
. The opera premiered in Los Angeles
in October 2008. Kathy Valentine produced a new Blue Bonnets album "Boom Boom Boom Boom," released June 2010. The group was originally slated to begin their "Happily Ever After" summer farewell tour, which was scheduled to kick off July 7 at Lilith Fair San Diego, and conclude in Austin, TX on July 27. However, it was cancelled due to Jane Wiedlin injuring her knee after a 20 feet (6.1 m) fall while hiking near her home in Northern California. They re-scheduled their tour for the following year, calling it the "Ladies Gone Wild" Tour, and on August 11th, 2011 the band received the 2,444th star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
located at the site of where small punk rock club "The Masque" used to stand. At this location, the band would rehearse and play their first live show.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
album charts.
The Go-Go's rose to fame during the early 1980s. Their debut album, Beauty and the Beat
Beauty and the Beat
Beauty and the Beat is the debut album from Californian all-female band The Go-Go's. Released in 1981 on the IRS Records label, the album was preceded by the single "We Got the Beat," which became a massive club hit in Europe and, later, the United States...
, is considered one of the "cornerstone albums of new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
" (Allmusic), breaking barriers and paving the way for a host of other new American acts. When the album was released, it steadily climbed the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, ultimately reaching number one
Chart topper
Chart topper may refer to:*Record chart, a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time**Billboard charts, a ranking of the relative popularity of songs or albums in the United States...
, where it remained for six consecutive weeks. The LP
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
sold in excess of three million copies and reached triple platinum status, making it one of the most successful debut albums ever. The Go-Go's have sold more than seven million albums.
Original incarnation (1978–1980)
Formed in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1978, the Go-Go's initially consisted of Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments...
(vocals), Jane Wiedlin
Jane Wiedlin
Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known as the rhythm guitarist of the all-female New Wave band The Go-Go's.-Early life:...
(guitar, vocals), Margot Olavarria (bass), and Elissa Bello (drums).
They were formed as a punk band and had roots in the L.A. punk community; they shared a rehearsal space with X, and Carlisle (under the name "Dottie Danger") had briefly been a member of punk-rock band The Germs. Due to a bout of mononucleosis
Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis , is a disease most commonly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus . The EBV virus affects the lymphocytes- white blood cells that battle infections by attacking antibodies. Mononucleosis can also be caused by Cytomegalovirus , a herpes virus most commonly found in body fluids...
, she left The Germs before playing a gig.
The band started out playing at seminal punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
venues such as The Masque
The Masque
The Masque was a small punk rock club in central Hollywood, California which existed intermittently from 1977 to 1979. It is remembered as a key part of the early L.A. punk scene.-History:...
and the Whisky A Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
in Los Angeles. Charlotte Caffey
Charlotte Caffey
Charlotte Irene Caffey is an American rock and roll guitarist and songwriter, best known for her work in the Go-Go's in the 1980s, including writing "We Got the Beat."...
(lead guitar, keyboards) was added later in 1978, and in the summer of 1979, Gina Schock
Gina Schock
Gina Schock is best known as the drummer in the all-girl punk/pop band The Go-Go's....
replaced Bello on drums. With these line-up changes, the group began moving towards their now more-familiar power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
sound.
During late 1979, the band recorded a 5-song demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, and in 1980 supported the British ska revival group Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
in both Los Angeles and England. The Go-Go’s subsequently spent half of 1980 touring England, earning a sizable following and releasing the demo version of "We Got the Beat
We Got the Beat
"We Got the Beat" is a song recorded by the American rock band The Go-Go's. Written by the group's lead guitarist Charlotte Caffey, the band recorded the song in 1980 and it was released in May as a single in the UK on Stiff Records. The song's single release brought the Go-Go's underground...
" on Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
, which became a minor UK hit.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is an acute infectious disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus , an RNA virus, usually spread the fecal-oral route; transmitted person-to-person by ingestion of contaminated food or water or through direct contact with an infectious person...
and was replaced with Kathy Valentine
Kathy Valentine
Kathy Valentine is the American bass guitarist for the all-girl rock band, The Go-Go's....
, who had played guitar in bands such as Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
and the Textones. Valentine had not previously played bass guitar. Carlisle also relates in her autobiography, Lips Unsealed, that another reason for Olaverria's dismissal from the Go-Go's was that she was frequently missing rehearsals, due largely to her dissatisfaction with the band's move away from hardcore punk and toward pop.
Career peak (1981–1983)
The Go-Go's signed to I.R.S. RecordsI.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
in April 1981. Their debut album, Beauty and the Beat
Beauty and the Beat
Beauty and the Beat is the debut album from Californian all-female band The Go-Go's. Released in 1981 on the IRS Records label, the album was preceded by the single "We Got the Beat," which became a massive club hit in Europe and, later, the United States...
, was a surprise hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
; it topped the U.S. charts for six weeks in 1982 and eventually received a triple platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
certification. The album was also a success outside the U.S. charting at #2 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where it received a platinum certification, and #27 in Australia. In 2003, the album was ranked number 413 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
. "Our Lips Are Sealed
Our Lips Are Sealed
"Our Lips are Sealed" is a song written by Go-Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin and Specials and Fun Boy Three singer Terry Hall. It was first recorded by The Go-Go's as the opening track on their 1981 album Beauty and the Beat and served as their debut American single...
" and a new version of "We Got the Beat" were extremely popular singles in North America in early 1982. In this period the Go-Go's became America's sweethearts and started building a fan base.
In 1982 the group was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best New Artist.
Beauty and the Beat
Beauty and the Beat is the debut album from Californian all-female band The Go-Go's. Released in 1981 on the IRS Records label, the album was preceded by the single "We Got the Beat," which became a massive club hit in Europe and, later, the United States...
. However, the album was certified Gold in the U.S. and spawned another top 10 US hit with the title track. Other singles released from the album were "Get Up and Go" and "He's So Strange", neither of which made it into the Top 40. In 1983 Vacation was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Packaging.
During the album's promotion the group was forced to go on hiatus when Schock underwent surgery for a congenital heart defect
Congenital heart defect
A congenital heart defect is a defect in the structure of the heart and great vessels which is present at birth. Many types of heart defects exist, most of which either obstruct blood flow in the heart or vessels near it, or cause blood to flow through the heart in an abnormal pattern. Other...
.
Talk Show and Break Up
In 1984 the group returned with the Martin RushentMartin Rushent
Martin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
produced album Talk Show. The album tracks "Head over Heels" and "Turn to You
Turn to You
"Turn to You" is a 1984 single, released by the all-female pop rock / new wave band The Go-Go's. The song was the second single from their third album Talk Show....
" were both Top 40 hits in the US. Despite the favorable critiques, the album sold far less than the previous two, not reaching the top 10 and not receiving any certification.
Personality conflicts and creative differences within the group were also taking a toll, as were drug addiction problems for some band members. Jane Wiedlin announced her departure from the group in October 1984. The band sought a replacement for Wiedlin, and finally selected Paula Jean Brown (of Giant Sand
Giant Sand
Giant Sand is an American rock band, based in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The name is shortened from the original Giant Sandworms, a reference to the creatures in the Dune books. Overseen by singer-songwriter Howe Gelb, its membership has shifted over the years—at times with each album...
) as their new bassist, with Valentine moving to rhythm guitar. This line-up debuted at the 1985 Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio is a series of music festivals held in three cities: Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Lisbon in Portugal and Madrid in Spain.Four incarnations of the festival were in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, 2001 and 2011, four in Lisbon, in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and two in Madrid in 2008 and 2010....
festival, playing two shows, but Carlisle and Caffey soon realized their hearts were no longer in the group and decided to disband the Go-Go's in May 1985.
Reunions
In 1990, the Go-Go's classic line-up (Caffey, Carlisle, Schock, Valentine and Wiedlin) reunited to play a benefit concert for the California Environmental Protection Act, a 1990 ballot initiative. This led to more show dates later that year. The band also entered the studio with producer David Z.David Z.
David Z is a music producer, engineer, mixer, and writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota who currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. He is most well known for his long-standing work with Prince, but has also contributed to award winning albums by Etta James, Billy Idol, BoDeans, Buddy Guy, Neneh...
to re-record a cover of "Cool Jerk
Cool Jerk
"Cool Jerk" is a popular song written by Donald Storball and originally performed by The Capitols. Released in 1966, it reached the number two position on the American R&B chart and number seven on the pop chart...
" for a greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation.
In 1994, the same line-up got together again to release the 2-disc retrospective Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's
Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's
Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's is The Go-Go's second compilation album, released in 1994. There were two versions of this compilation released, a single disc and a double disc version...
, which featured three new recordings. The single "The Whole World Lost Its Head
The Whole World Lost Its Head
"The Whole World Lost Its Head" is one of three new songs from all-female pop rock / new wave band The Go-Go's 2-disc retrospective Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's...
" 'bubbled under' on the US charts at #108, but became the band's first and only Top 40 hit in the UK, peaking at #29. The band toured again to promote the release; ex-Bangle
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
Vicki Peterson
Vicki Peterson
Vicki Peterson is an American rock musician ....
stood in on several dates for Caffey, who was pregnant.
In 1997, Schock sued the other members of the group, claiming that she had not been properly paid for her contributions since 1986 and that a songwriting agreement with Caffey had been breached. The suit was resolved by 1999 when the band reunited for a brief tour and they finally began to resolve their personal differences.
God Bless The Go-Go's
In 2001, the band (still with the "classic" line-up) released an album of new material, God Bless The Go-Go'sGod Bless the Go-Go's
God Bless the Go-Go's is the Go-Go's fourth studio album, released May 15, 2001. It was their first studio album in 17 years since the release of Talk Show in 1984.-Critical reception and chart performance:...
. Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
co-wrote the only released single "Unforgiven". The album was well-received by critics, and peaked at number #57 in the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart.
Also in 2001, the Go-Go's, along with artists Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
, and Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, performed at the concert "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson
A Tribute To Brian Wilson
"An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" was a tribute concert held at New York's famed Radio City Music Hall on March 29, 2001 that TNT presented on July 4, 2001....
" at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
, hosted by the TNT network.
Touring
The Go-Go's have toured regularly since 1999; however in February 2010, Carlisle announced on her Facebook page that the 2010 tour would be billed as the Farewell tour. However the tour was cancelled when Jane Wiedlin injured her knee, requiring surgery and up to a year of recovery time. In 2008, in an interview with "Stuck in the 80'sStuck in the 80's
Stuck in the '80s is a blog and podcast produced by Steve Spears and the St. Petersburg Times, the largest daily newspaper in Florida. Stuck in the '80s covers the music, movies and culture of the 1980s. It features regular interviews with musicians, actors and celebrities of the 1980s along with...
", Wiedlin said: "We have no set plans at the moment, and every year it seems to get a little more complicated trying to get together to do stuff. We are now living in FIVE different places, which makes it a real challenge to get together. Still, we love to make music, so anything could happen."
In 2011 the Go-Go's announced the Ladies Gone Wild tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of Beauty and the Beat.
Solo careers
- Belinda CarlisleBelinda CarlisleBelinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments...
became the most commercially successful solo artist of the band's alumni, scoring a string of mainstream popPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singles in the mid and late '80s, including the #3 US hit "Mad About You" (co-written by Paula Jean Brown) and the number-one single "Heaven Is a Place on EarthHeaven is a Place on Earth"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" is the title of a song recorded by Belinda Carlisle, the lead singer of The Go-Go's. Written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley, and interpolating the aria "Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieße der Ruh'" from Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio, it hit number one on the...
". In the UK and Europe, Carlisle became even more successful, continuing to score top-10 hits through the mid '90s. In August 2001, Carlisle appeared in a nude layout, including a cover photo, in that month's issue of Playboy magazine. In 2007, she released a French-language album entitled Voila. She also appeared as a judge on the MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
show Rock the CradleRock the CradleRock the Cradle was an MTV reality show in which the offspring of R&B, pop, and rock stars from the 1980s and 1990s vie in a six-week singing competition...
and toured during the summer of 2008 as part of the Regeneration Tour with The Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
, A Flock of SeagullsA Flock of SeagullsA Flock of Seagulls are an English New Wave band originally formed by brothers Michael "Mike" Score and Alister "Ali" James Score , with Frank Maudsley , Michael Kuby , H.J...
, ABCABC (band)ABC are an English band, that charted ten UK and five US Top 40 singles between 1981 and 1990. The band continues to tour and released a new album, Traffic, in 2008.-Formation:...
and Naked EyesNaked EyesNaked Eyes is a British New Wave band that rose to prominence in the early 1980s. Originally a duo, the band is known largely for its singles: a cover of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David standard " Always Something There to Remind Me" , as well as the band's subsequent hits "Promises, Promises", "When...
. Carlisle wrote a memoir, "Lips Unsealed", that was released in June 2010. - Jane WiedlinJane WiedlinJane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known as the rhythm guitarist of the all-female New Wave band The Go-Go's.-Early life:...
released several solo albums including FurFur (Jane Wiedlin album)Fur is the second album by Jane Wiedlin, released in 1988. The songs "Rush Hour" and "Inside a Dream" were released as singles and both charted on the Billboard Hot 100...
, which featured a successful single, "Rush HourRush Hour (song)"Rush Hour" is a pop song by Go Go's guitarist Jane Wiedlin, taken from her second album Fur. It was backed by a fellow album track, the percussive, melancholy "End of Love". The 12-inch single featured an extended remix by Rusty Garner and an instrumental version."Rush Hour" was Wiedlin's most...
". Wiedlin also took acting roles in movies such as Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, ClueClue (film)Clue is a 1985 comedy mystery film based on the board game of the same name . The film is a murder mystery set in a Gothic Revival mansion, and is styled after Murder by Death and other various murder/dinner parties of mystery...
, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeStar Trek IV: The Voyage HomeStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a 1986 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fourth feature film based on the Star Trek science fiction television series and completes the story arc begun in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and continued in Star Trek III: The...
, as well as doing cartoon voiceoversVoice-overVoice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
and a 2005 appearance on the VH1VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
show Surreal Life. In 1995, Wiedlin formed a band called froSTedFroSTedFrosted was an American pop punk band, founded by ex-Go-Go's guitarist and singer Jane Wiedlin in 1995. The band was so-named because "it sounds sweet". The letters S and T were capitalised in tribute to Star Trek, one of Wiedlin's favourite TV shows...
(the capital ST paid homage to Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
), which released an album, Cold, before disbanding in 1998. In 2000, Wiedlin started her own label, Painful Discs, to release her solo CDCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
Kissproof World. She has also become a legally ordained wedding officiant who performs ceremonies as "Reverend Sister Go-Go". - Charlotte CaffeyCharlotte CaffeyCharlotte Irene Caffey is an American rock and roll guitarist and songwriter, best known for her work in the Go-Go's in the 1980s, including writing "We Got the Beat."...
worked as a songwriter and session musician for Carlisle, and then in 1988 formed a band called The GracesThe Graces (band)The Graces were a US band in the late 1980s and early 1990s featuring Charlotte Caffey, Meredith Brooks, and Gia Ciambotti. Formed in 1988, they released their debut album Perfect View on A&M Records in 1989. Their first single "Lay Down Your Arms" hit #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 but the album...
that released the album Perfect View. After the Graces disbanded, she briefly formed a group called Astrid's Mother. Caffey and Wiedlin performed several shows in 1997 as Twisted and Jaded, at which they played acoustic versions of Go-Go's songs and debuted new material they had written. They also co-wrote "But for the Grace of GodBut for the Grace of God"But for the Grace of God" is a song performed and recorded by country music performer Keith Urban. The song was written by Urban, Charlotte Caffey, and Jane Wiedlin....
" (2000) for Keith UrbanKeith UrbanKeith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age...
, which was their first number-one single on the charts. Together with Anna Waronker, Caffey co-wrote "Ordinary Girl", the theme song to the television series "Clueless" (61 episodes, 1996-1999). - Gina SchockGina SchockGina Schock is best known as the drummer in the all-girl punk/pop band The Go-Go's....
released a self-titled album in 1988 with her band House of Schock, and she later formed the short-lived group K-Five. Gina Schock co-wrote the title track for Miley CyrusMiley CyrusMiley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
's sophomore CD, Breakout, which debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 Charts in the summer of 2008. Schock also co-wrote several tracks on the 2009 debut album Kiss & TellKiss & Tell (Selena Gomez & the Scene album)Kiss & Tell is the debut studio album by American band Selena Gomez & the Scene. It was released on September 29, 2009 by Hollywood Records. Gomez formed the band as she stated she did not want to become a solo artist quite yet. The band worked with several writers and producers on the album...
by Selena Gomez & the SceneSelena Gomez & the SceneSelena Gomez & the Scene is an American pop band formed in Hollywood, California in 2009. Along with lead singer and founder Selena Gomez, the band consists of bassist Joey Clement, guitarist Ethan Roberts, drummist Greg Garman and keyboardist Dane Forrest. Selena Gomez & the Scene have released...
. Selena GomezSelena GomezSelena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place...
and Cyrus are both stars on the Disney ChannelDisney ChannelDisney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
. - Kathy ValentineKathy ValentineKathy Valentine is the American bass guitarist for the all-girl rock band, The Go-Go's....
returned to her blues-rock roots playing lead guitar with a band called the BlueBonnets, which morphed into the Delphines with Dominique Davalos on lead vocals and bass. The Delphines released two CDs, The Delphines (1996) and Cosmic Speed (2001). Gina Schock also joined the Delphines as drummer for a brief period. Valentine released a debut solo CD, titled Light Years, in September 2005. In 2006 she relocated to Austin, Texas and produced a local female trio, Adrian and the Sickness, whose CD "BFD" came out in 2009. Valentine reformed the BlueBonnets and continues production work in her home studio.
Current projects
Jane Wiedlin is at work on a new solo album, and a comic book based on herself titled "Lady Robotika". Belinda Carlisle appeared on Dancing with the Stars on ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in 2009. She recently starred in London's West End production of the musical Hairspray
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
. Charlotte Caffey along with Anna Waronker
Anna Waronker
Anna Jeanette Waronker is a singer/songwriter, composer, and producer best known as the former frontwoman of That Dog. She is the daughter of producer Lenny Waronker and actress/musician Donna Loren, the sister of session drummer Joey Waronker, and is married to Steven Shane McDonald of Redd...
wrote the music for the rock opera Lovelace: A Rock Opera based on the life of infamous porn star, Linda Lovelace
Linda Lovelace
Linda Susan Boreman , better known by her stage name Linda Lovelace, was an American pornographic actress who was famous for her performance of deep throat fellatio in the enormously successful 1972 hardcore porn film Deep Throat...
. The opera premiered in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in October 2008. Kathy Valentine produced a new Blue Bonnets album "Boom Boom Boom Boom," released June 2010. The group was originally slated to begin their "Happily Ever After" summer farewell tour, which was scheduled to kick off July 7 at Lilith Fair San Diego, and conclude in Austin, TX on July 27. However, it was cancelled due to Jane Wiedlin injuring her knee after a 20 feet (6.1 m) fall while hiking near her home in Northern California. They re-scheduled their tour for the following year, calling it the "Ladies Gone Wild" Tour, and on August 11th, 2011 the band received the 2,444th star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
located at the site of where small punk rock club "The Masque" used to stand. At this location, the band would rehearse and play their first live show.
Albums
- Beauty and the BeatBeauty and the BeatBeauty and the Beat is the debut album from Californian all-female band The Go-Go's. Released in 1981 on the IRS Records label, the album was preceded by the single "We Got the Beat," which became a massive club hit in Europe and, later, the United States...
(1981) - Vacation (1982)
- Talk Show (1984)
- Return to the Valley of the Go-Go'sReturn to the Valley of the Go-Go'sReturn to the Valley of The Go-Go's is The Go-Go's second compilation album, released in 1994. There were two versions of this compilation released, a single disc and a double disc version...
(1994) - God Bless The Go-Go'sGod Bless the Go-Go'sGod Bless the Go-Go's is the Go-Go's fourth studio album, released May 15, 2001. It was their first studio album in 17 years since the release of Talk Show in 1984.-Critical reception and chart performance:...
(2001)
Videos
- Totally Go-Go's – live 12/1981 (1982)
- Wild at the Greek – live concert (1984)
- Prime Time – music video compilation (1985)
- Live in Central Park – live concert (2001)