The GoGo’s. New Years Eve.

[Skully]

Since I graduated high school in the early seventies, the Go-Go's were not a really big deal to me, though I did enjoy the music. However I really didn't pay much attention. So two things I've learned from this thread: that Belinda Carlisle was a massive drug addict (I always thought she was the clean one) and that when I thought she was singing "now that I see you", she was actually singing "our lips are sealed". You learn something new every day!

They were all drug-addled or addicted to a degree. Wiedlin and Schock were probably the least messed up. During the band's peak years, Caffey was a heroin addict. Her getting sober was one of the driving factors in their breakup. There was also a lot of tension because the songwriters (Caffey, Wiedlin and Valentine) were making a lot more money than the other two.

 

[tap4154]

They were all drug-addled or addicted to a degree. Wiedlin and Schock were probably the least messed up. During the band's peak years, Caffey was a heroin addict. Her getting sober was one of the driving factors in their breakup. There was also a lot of tension because the songwriters (Caffey, Wiedlin and Valentine) were making a lot more money than the other two.

That's really interesting because from my casual observation of them, I thought they were all sort of teetotalers. Just seemed like like a corporate pop band. I was thinking about the "Vacation" video, it just seemed really cheesy and staged like the Monkees.

 

[Manual Slim]

Cheese sells and the proceeds buy whatever you damn well please if it sells enough. Even folks who look squeaky clean can get into some dirt.
It took me a while to come around but I'm a fan. That Rockplast show that Skully posted earlier is a winner.

 

[trev333]

looking for a go go's vid to post I watched some early ones where the guitarist is playing a blonde tele...

it sounded so much better than the later more generic guitar sounds she used...

she should have stayed with the tele...

 

[drlucky]

I saw the Go-Go's back in 1982. Excellent show, with The Blasters opening up.

I would've gladly done anything Jane Wiedlin instructed me to do...

 

[posttoastie]

 

[Rick Schmidlin]

The movie featuring Jane Wiedlin as the singing telegram lady is 1985's "Clue." I stood up Jane on night at the Zero Club on Highland, she never forgave me.





People tend to forget that Gina Schock had a band with Ellen DeGeneres brother, Vance DeGeneres, who would go on to be a correspondent on "The Daily Show."



My copy of the notorious Rolling Stone underwear cover, autographed by the entire band.

 

[Rick Schmidlin]

I saw the Go-Go's back in 1982. Excellent show, with The Blasters opening up.

I would've gladly done anything Jane Wiedlin instructed me to do...

Was that The Hollywood Bowl show? I did lights for both that night. Also Belinda was going out with Bill from The Blasters at that time

 

[Rick Schmidlin]

They were all drug-addled or addicted to a degree. Wiedlin and Schock were probably the least messed up. During the band's peak years, Caffey was a heroin addict. Her getting sober was one of the driving factors in their breakup. There was also a lot of tension because the songwriters (Caffey, Wiedlin and Valentine) were making a lot more money than the other two.

Belinda was a heavy coke fiend!

 

[trev333]

wasn't everyone back then?....

at least she was just an entertainer and not a lawyer, banker or politician...with the same issue.

 

[soul-o]

I’m just a fan and the perfect age to have loved “Beauty And The Beat” in 1982 with same fervor that I loved the Police and Rush. In retrospect, I bet the time when Peter Case was living with Charlotte Caffey was pretty great. The dude from the Plimsouls dating the babe from the Go Go’s in LA in 1982 with both of their records all over the radio? That’s totally rad.

 

[posttoastie]

Those times are a million miles away

 

[drlucky]

Was that The Hollywood Bowl show? I did lights for both that night. Also Belinda was going out with Bill from The Blasters at that time

No, CSU Fresno Amphitheatre. Tons of cute girls in the crowd, too!

 

[Rick Schmidlin]

No, CSU Fresno Amphitheatre. Tons of cute girls in the crowd, too!

I did lights at that show too,

 

[IMMusicRulz]

Unlike The Bangles, the Go-Go's wrote all their own tunes (save for a cover of "Cool Jerk") and insisted on playing their own instruments. More importantly, the Go-Go's were just better songwriters. But I do really like The Bangles' first album "All Over the Place."


/QUOTE]
I disagree with you there fella. Although their first #1 hit, Walk Like An Egyptian, was written by Liam Sternberg for Toni Basil (the girl who sang Micky), Eternal Flame, the Bangles 2nd #1 hit was co-written by Susanna Hoffs, and I personally think Susanna Hoffs was a good songwriter. After all, she is the Bangles. Plus she was one of the first female rockstars to get her own signature guitar (in this case, a Rickenbacker.)

 

[tomkatf]

"I disagree with you there fella. Although their first #1 hit, Walk Like An Egyptian, was written by Liam Sternberg for Toni Basil (the girl who sang Micky), Eternal Flame, the Bangles 2nd #1 hit was co-written by Susanna Hoffs, and I personally think Susanna Hoffs was a good songwriter. After all, she is the Bangles. Plus she was one of the first female rockstars to get her own signature guitar (in this case, a Rickenbacker.)"
And there is this...

 

[Rick Schmidlin]

When they started they were call The Bangs, they were Go Go wanna be's who gagged on a silver spoon.They too fired their first bass player Annette and list their original soul.

 

[archetype]

They were all drug-addled or addicted to a degree. Wiedlin and Schock were probably the least messed up. During the band's peak years, Caffey was a heroin addict. Her getting sober was one of the driving factors in their breakup. There was also a lot of tension because the songwriters (Caffey, Wiedlin and Valentine) were making a lot more money than the other two.

In one interview, one of them (Belinda?) said that with all the insane, stupid things the band previously did that they should all have ended up dead, several times over.

 

[Rick Schmidlin]

Naw it wasn't that bad, Gina was into Ginger, later denounced, Charlotte was always very shy and passive, Jane had a crush on me and was into drugs, we went out a short time, Margot was my friend, Belinda was changing with each boyfriend and went from coke to a health nut and always controlled by the men she went with, and Kathy was a Losey monopoly player and not that bright, during our Monopoly games she was going with Clem Burke and Kathy was more like a groupie then a rock star. Yep I was there.

 

[posttoastie]

Another Kim Fowley band around that time with Male/Female vocals that was short lived.