Someone just posted this ultra-rare of the Go-Go's performing "Our Lips Are Sealed" at the Rock in Rio Festival circa January 1985. It was the band's first (and I believe ONLY) performance with Paula Jean Brown, who replaced Jane Wiedlin after she left the band in a snit to "go solo" after they rebuffed her attempt to sing lead vocals on "Forget That Day," one of the songs she'd written for "Talk Show." The clip is interesting for a number of reasons. Belinda has never been heavier, so the juxtaposition of this to her Ann-Margretesque "Mad About You" solo debut the following year is almost shocking. Meanwhile, the camera frequently captures everyone in the band -- except Paula Jean. Even when she substitutes for Jane on the "hush my darling" verse, you never get a straight-on look. (Her microphone appears to have been turned off, too. Was this the other girls' way of reminding her she wasn't a "real" member?)
If you think Jane was being an unreasonable baby about not being allowed to sing lead, perhaps that was really just the straw that broke the camel's back. As this next clip shows (which I just found), she and the other NON-BELINDA members suffered another huge indignation when NBC was (in his words) too cheap to pay to have them play on David Letterman's show, so instead just had Belinda on as a guest while the other members waved from the audience. (Can you imagine?) And this was in 1984 after they'd already established themselves as no one-hit-wonder. Needless to say, Jane didn't show up (a photo of her looking rather sour was held up instead), which I think pretty much says all you need to know. Belinda's nervous (perhaps coke-fueled) interview was pretty damn cute, though, if you can find it ... 
6 comments:
Plus, you know, Jane had bigger and better things to move on to.
One of my all-time faves. I saw that tour when INXS opened for them, but Jane was there. She winked at me. *sigh* Not sure of the timeline though. It was summer, on a beach. What a blast that was.
That outfit from the Rio clip was a crime against fashion though. What WAS she thinking?
"Forget that Day" was the song Jane wanted to sing lead on. Belinda's outfit is hysterical!
God I remember that show! It's actually one of Belinda's most fondly remembered performances.
The girls had originally planned to sing Vacation (it was Rio after all!) but before going onstage they asked a few of the locals what they wanted to hear, and they all said "Alex the Seal". Turns out the song was huge in Brazil because everyone thought it was about a cute little seal named Alex.
She almost cracked up several times while singing that one, and to this day she always smiles when she remembers that show.
Hi! That video from Rock in Rio I uploaded. Thank you for posting it on your blog!
Yes, poor Paula. I want to hear her voice a lot more!
Thanks
yanyan
Celti.... The title "Alex The Seal" was brought up in Australia by either Molly Meldrum or a radio DJ, not in Brazil. The GoGos did play Vacation at the Rock In Rio concert, and the band never asks locals what songs should be put in the set, nor would the band leave out one of their hits, only having 4 to begin with!
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