The Go-Go's (music)
The Go-Go's were a groundbreaking all-female band formed in Los Angeles in 1978, known for their blend of New Wave and surf music influences. The group was comprised of talented musicians, including lead singer Belinda Carlisle and songwriter Jane Wiedlin, who emerged from the punk scene. Their debut album, "Beauty and the Beat," released in 1981, featured the hit single "Our Lips Are Sealed" and showcased their ability to write their own music, setting them apart from previous all-female bands that often served as marketing vehicles. The Go-Go's became pop icons in the 1980s, with their follow-up album "Vacation" further solidifying their popularity.
Despite internal tensions and issues related to substance use, the band achieved significant artistic advancement with their third album, "Talk Show," which included thoughtful tracks alongside upbeat hits. The Go-Go's recorded only three albums during the decade but left a lasting impact on rock music and feminism, representing a pivotal moment for women in a male-dominated industry. Their legacy continues to resonate as a symbol of empowerment and creativity among female musicians.
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The Go-Go's (music)
Identification All-woman rock band
Date Active from 1978 to 1985
The Go-Go’s were the first all-woman rock band of musical significance to be widely successful. They helped define the look and sound of the 1980’s.
Key Figures
Belinda Carlisle (1958- ), The Go-Go’s lead singerJane Wiedlin (1958- ), songwriter and guitaristCharlotte Caffey (1953- ), lead guitarist and keyboard playerGina Schock (1957- ), drummerKathy Valentine (1959- ), bassist
The Go-Go’s formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Belinda Carlisle, their lead singer, had sung briefly with a hardcore punk band called the Germs. Jane Wiedlin, their most talented songwriter, was also in the Los Angeles punk underground scene. They were joined by Charlotte Caffey, the group’s lead guitarist and keyboard player, who was some years older than its other members. After being briefly preceded by Elissa Bello, the charismatic Gina Schock (alluded to in the 1987 John Hughes-written film Some Kind of Wonderful) became the group’s drummer in 1979. Bass guitarist Margot Olavarria left the band early, though she received some financial consideration from their later success. She was replaced by Kathy Valentine, perhaps the most underrated member of the group, who quickly became a skilled bass player.
Unlike previous all-female bands that were often largely marketing vehicles, the Go-Go’s wrote their own songs and were accomplished musicians. Their debut album, Beauty and the Beat (1981), combined New Wave and surf-music influences to produce an inimitable and infectious sound. Their first hit, “Our Lips Are Sealed,” was a catchy song about a couple plagued by rumors concerning a possible affair between them. Their second album, Vacation, featured a song of the same name that epitomized a spirit of wistful yet carefree yearning. The five attractive yet quirky young women quickly became pop icons. Carlisle, in particular, became a celebrity and began to date Los Angeles Dodgers baseball prospect Mike Marshall. Though not reaching the sales heights of the previous two albums, the group’s Talk Show (1984) represented an artistic advance, illustrated not only by the upbeat single “Head Over Heels” (featured prominently as a video on MTV) but also by songs with unusually thoughtful lyrics, such as “Beneath the Blue Sky” and “Yes or No.”
Both of the latter songs were written or co-written by Wiedlin, whose evolution as a songwriter and performer led her to want to sing lead on some of the group’s efforts. As Carlisle did not play an instrument, however, the question of what role she could play in songs she did not sing was a vexatious one. Tension between Wiedlin and Carlisle, combined with serious drug use on the part of some members of the group, led Wiedlin to leave the group. She was replaced briefly by Paula Jean Brown, but the group was unable to continue, and it broke up altogether in 1985.
Impact
The Go-Go’s, with their fun-loving yet hard-edged California sound, are such a key part of the musical legacy of the 1980’s that it is hard to remember they recorded only three albums in that decade. Despite not being overtly political, they represented a major breakthrough for women in rock and for feminism in general during a decade often inimical to both.
Bibliography
Gaan, Gilliam. She’s a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock. Seattle: Seal Press, 1992.
Gehman, Pleasant. Escape from Houdini Mountain. San Francisco: Manic D Press, 2001.
Rettenmund, Matthew. Totally Awesome 80’s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of That Decadent Decade. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996.