The Go-Go's | |
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.jpg) The Go-Go's,c. 1981 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Website | gogos |
The Go-Go's are an American all-femalerock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978.[1] Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting ofCharlotte Caffey onlead guitar andkeyboards,Belinda Carlisle on lead vocals,Gina Schock on drums,Kathy Valentine onbass, andJane Wiedlin onrhythm guitar.
The quintet emerged from the L.A.punk rock scene of the late 1970s and in 1981 released their debut albumBeauty and the Beat. A first for an all-female band writing their material and playing their instruments, the LP topped theBillboardalbum chart and remains an achievement yet to be matched.[2][3]Beauty and the Beat is considered one of the "cornerstone albums of USnew wave" (AllMusic), having broken barriers and paved the way for a host of other new American acts. It yielded two of the Go-Go's four biggestHot 100 hits—"Our Lips Are Sealed" (no. 20) and "We Got the Beat" (no. 2)—and, after a long and steady climb, reached number one in the chart dated March 6, 1982. The album stayed at the top for six consecutive weeks, eventually selling over two million copies.[4] The group, credited as simplyGo-Go's on all of their US releases, was nominated for theBest New Artist award at the24th Annual Grammy Awards.
Two more albums followed:Vacation (1982)—whosetitle track reached no. 8 onBillboard's Hot 100—andTalk Show (1984), which included the hits "Head over Heels" (no. 11) and "Turn to You" (no. 32).[5] The Go-Go's have sold more than seven million records worldwide.[6][7]
The Go-Go's broke up in 1985, with each member embarking on a solo career and Carlisle being the most successful, having several top-5 singles through the late 1980s. They reconvened several times in the 1990s, releasing a new album in 2001,God Bless the Go-Go's, and touring. They received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.[8] Though the band's 2016 performances were billed as a farewell tour, the band remained active on an ad hoc basis for several years afterward.Head Over Heels, a musical featuring the songs of the Go-Go's, ran onBroadway at theHudson Theatre from 2018 to 2019.[9] The group was inducted into theWomen Songwriters Hall of Fame[10] and theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. While the band announced their disbandment shortly after the Rock Hall induction,[11] they have reunited several times for events, including an induction to the California Hall of Fame.[12] They reunited for a series of shows in 2025, including joining the bill for the April 2025Coachella Music Festival[13] and the May 2025 Cruel World concert festival inPasadena, California.[14]
Formed in Los Angeles in 1978 as the Misfits[15] byCharlotte Caffey (guitar),Belinda Carlisle (vocals),Jane Wiedlin (guitar, background vocals), the Go-Go's also included Margot Olavarria on bass and Elissa Bello on drums.[16]
They were formed as apunk band and had roots in the L.A. punk community.[17] They shared a rehearsal space withthe Motels and Carlisle, under the name "Dottie Danger", had briefly been a member of punk rock bandthe Germs. After Carlisle became temporarily ill, she separated from the Germs before ever playing a gig.
The band began playing gigs at punk venues such asThe Masque and theWhisky a Go Go in Los Angeles and theMabuhay Gardens in San Francisco alongside bands such asX,Fear,the Plugz andthe Controllers.Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar, keyboards, background vocals) was added later in 1978, and in the summer of 1979,Gina Schock replaced Bello on drums. With these lineup changes, the group began moving towards their more familiarpower pop sound.
The group frequently met at aDenny's onSunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and it was there they chose the band's name.
In late 1979, the band recorded a five-song demo atGold Star Studios in Los Angeles, and in 1980, they supported the Britishska revival groupsMadness andThe Specials 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" onStiff Records, which became a minor UK hit.[18]
In December 1980, original bassist Olavarria fell ill[19] and was replaced withKathy Valentine, who had played guitar in bands such asGirlschool and the Textones. Valentine had not previously played bass guitar. Carlisle also related in her autobiography,Lips Unsealed, that according to the band's view, another reason for Olavarria's dismissal from the Go-Go's was that she frequently missed rehearsals, due largely to her dissatisfaction with the band's move away from punk and toward pop. In late 1982, Olavarria sued the remaining band members for wrongful removal. The lawsuit was settled in 1984. Olavarria later joinedMartin Atkins' band Brian Brain.[20]
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The Go-Go's signed toMiles Copeland's labelI.R.S. Records in April 1981. The following year they toured withThe Police, who were managed by Copeland, on theGhost in the Machine Tour. The Go-Go's 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 double platinum certification. The album was also successful outside the U.S., charting at No. 2 in Canada, where it received a platinum certification, and No. 27 in Australia. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 413 onRolling Stone magazine's list ofThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. "Our Lips Are Sealed" and a new version of "We Got the Beat" were popular singles in North America in early 1982. During this period, the Go-Go's started building a fanbase.[21]
In 1982, the group was nominated for aGrammy Award forBest New Artist.[22][23]
The follow-up album,Vacation, received mixed reviews and sold less thanBeauty and the Beat. However, the album was certified gold in the U.S. and spawned another Top 10 U.S. hit withthe title track. Other singles released from the album were "Get Up and Go" and "This Old Feeling", neither of which made it into the Top 40. In 1983,Vacation was nominated for aGrammy Award for Best Packaging. During the album's promotion, the group went on hiatus when Schock underwent surgery for acongenital heart defect.
In 1984, the group returned with theMartin Rushent-produced albumTalk Show. The album tracks "Head over Heels" and "Turn to You" were both Top 40 hits in the US. Despite the favorable reception, the album sold 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. Wiedlin announced her departure from the group in October 1984. The band sought a replacement, selecting Paula Jean Brown (ofGiant Sand) as their new bass guitarist, with Valentine moving to rhythm guitar. This lineup debuted at the 1985Rock 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.
In 1990, the Go-Go's classic lineup (Caffey, Carlisle, Schock, Valentine, and Wiedlin) reunited to play a benefit concert for the California Environmental Protection Act, a 1990 ballot initiative. The band also entered the studio with producerDavid Z to re-record a cover of "Cool Jerk" (a song they had previously covered on their second LP) for agreatest hits compilation.[citation needed]
In 1994, the same lineup got together again to release a two-disc retrospective entitledReturn to the Valley of The Go-Go's, featuring three new recordings. The single "The Whole World Lost Its Head" peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Modern Rock charts and "bubbled under" on the US charts at No. 108, and became the band's first and only Top 40 hit in the UK, peaking at No. 29. The band toured again to promote the release; ex-BangleVicki Peterson stood in on several dates for Caffey, who was pregnant.[24]
In 1997, Schock sued the other group members, claiming that she had not been adequately paid for her contributions since 1986 and that a songwriting agreement with Caffey had been breached. The suit was resolved by 1999 and the Go-Go's toured regularly from 1999 onward.
In 2001, the band (still with the "classic" lineup) released an album of new material,God Bless the Go-Go's.Green Day's lead singerBillie Joe Armstrong co-wrote the only released single, "Unforgiven", which peaked at No. 22 on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart. The album was well received by critics and peaked at number 57 in theBillboard 200 chart.[citation needed] The band also released aDVD of their reunion concert inCentral Park.[25]
Also in 2001, the Go-Go's, along with artistsElton John,Billy Joel,David Crosby andPaul Simon, performed at the concert "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" atRadio City Music Hall, hosted by theTNT network.[26]
In 2002 the Go-Go's recorded the theme song for theWB comedy series "Do Over". Written by Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine, and Jane Wiedlin, the track was recorded in Los Angeles for the show, which premiered on Sept. 19 on the network.[27]
In 2004 the band hosted a concert inCosta Mesa together withThe Motels.[28]
In February 2010, Carlisle announced that the 2010 tour would be billed as the "Farewell Tour",[29] but this tour was canceled when Wiedlin injured her knee while hiking near her home in Northern California, requiring surgery and up to a year of recovery time.[30]
After 2010, the idea of a farewell tour seemed to have been abandoned, with the Go-Go's touring frequently. In 2011, the Go-Go's announced the "Ladies Gone Wild" tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release ofBeauty and the Beat.[31] They toured the US in 2012, withAbby Travis subbing for an injured Valentine during the latter part of the tour.
On March 8, 2013, the group's official website said "irreconcilable differences" had led to the departure of bassist Valentine.[32] On May 24, Valentine sued her former bandmates for "breach offiduciary duty and abuse of control...in an attempt to deprive [her] of her position and interest in the group".[33][34] Officially a quartet (Caffey, Carlisle, Schock, and Wiedlin—Travis continued to play bass, but was not an official group member), the Go-Go's continued on, playing a series of tour dates in 2013 and 2014, including several double bills withthe B-52's.[35]
In 2014, the band was inducted into theHollywood Bowl Hall of Fame.[36] That same year, Valentine's lawsuit against her former bandmates was settled out of court.[citation needed]
We're not breaking up, per se – we're just not going to be doing the touring like we've been doing for many, many years. We might still do a date here or there, or do a benefit or something like that, but not do the big touring anymore. So that's what that's about.
— Charlotte Caffey[37]
On March 21, 2016, plans for a Go-Go's farewell tour (minus Valentine) were officially announced. A band statement said: "After a 38-year run, we are gearing up for one last blast of a summer tour".[38]
Valentine rejoined the band to perform their first show together as a quintet in six years at New York'sBowery Ballroom on January 31, 2018, to announce the Broadway dates of their new musical,Head Over Heels. The new musical—which premiered at New York'sHudson Theatre in the summer of 2018—features the band's hits (including "Get Up and Go" and "Lust to Love") as well as Carlisle's solo hits "Mad About You" and "Heaven Is a Place on Earth".[39] The musical had a preview at theOregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015.[40] Valentine's return to the band was permanent, and she would be involved in all future Go-Go's activity.
In 2020,a documentary movie about the band premiered atSundance,[41][42] directed by Allison Ellwood after the band saw her work on the 2013History of the Eagles documentary. In the US, the movie was seen on television onShowtime. The documentary features the formation and rise of the band through the 1980s breakup, skipping the lawsuits and reunions through the 1990s-2010s, ending with a 2019 reunion.[43] On July 31, 2020, the Go-Go's released their first new song in 19 years, "Club Zero", which is featured in the documentary.[44]
In January 2020, the band announced an 11-date reunion tour scheduled to begin in June 2020, however in May 2020 the tour was postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[45]
On October 30, 2021, the band was inducted by longtime fanDrew Barrymore into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.[46]
On December 14, 2021, the band performed a special show, with most of the audience being contest winners, at theWhisky a Go Go to celebrate their induction.Clem Burke filled in on drums for Gina Schock.[47] On December 27, 2021, the band postponed a short West Coast tour scheduled for the first week of January 2022 due to aCOVID-19 case involving someone on the tour.[48]
After playing six US dates in March 2022 (in Reno and several stops in California),[49] the band announced plans for a 2022UK tour withBilly Idol to start in June 2022.[50] However, due to Billy Idol's illness, the tour had to be postponed, and the band could no longer participate in the tour.[51]
In 2023, Belinda Carlisle declared that the group had disbanded, noting "we felt there was something to be said about leaving on a high note and it doesn't get much bigger than being inducted into the Hall of Fame. That's kind of the pinnacle. After that, we felt it was time."[11] Their last show was their performance in San Diego on March 31, 2022.[52]
The band reunited inSacramento on February 7, 2024 to be inducted into theCalifornia Hall of Fame,[53] and "played a short, rowdy, acoustic set" at the afterparty.[54]
On October 21, 2024, the band announced via their official Instagram page that they were reuniting to play the Cruel World Festival, which was held on May 17, 2025, in Pasadena.[55] On April 11, 2025, the band playedCoachella supported byBillie Joe Armstrong ofGreen Day.[56]
Studio albums
We are touring from mid-June to mid-July with the B-52's for a lot of the dates. We work once or twice a year. It's still really fun. We're one big happy dysfunctional family.
The Go-Go's were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this weekend. The band accepted the honor from Drew Barrymore at tonight's ceremony.
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