Hanging out at Belinda's, circa 1980; a night at the Roxy, circa 1980, below
If Belinda Carlisle's recent endorsement of NutriSystem or upcoming participation on "Dancing With the Stars" is a less-than-pleasant reminder of my youth being waaaaay behind me, it's also a great time to remember -- and celebrate -- what made Belinda a star in the first place. Say what I will about the Runaways, Bangles or Catholic Girls, the Go-Go's were -- and will likely always be -- the greatest all-girl band ever. Yet I once had a very complicated relationship with these girls in the way that only a teenage fag could. You see, my group back then was Blondie. The Go-Go's belonged to my Mark, my BFF from my Oakland County youth.
When "Beauty and the Beat" exploded on the scene, I was immediately taken, parading around the campus of Rhodes Junior High School with Tammy Nicholas and the other girls singing (the wrong lyrics to) "Our Lips Are Sealed" at the top of my lungs en route to chorus class. Always on top of these things, my away-at-college brother Bill had bought the album and brought it home for us and we spent hours debating which songs were best -- frequently ranking them 1 to 11 with "Our Lips Are Sealed" on top and "Can't Stop the World" at the bottom being the only constants, while "Tonite," "This Town" and "Lust to Love" often battled it out for the No. 2 spot. (Like "Automatic" wasn't the best song EVER!)
Not counting a couple Gordon Lightfoot shows to which I tagged along with my older brothers in 1979 and 1980, the Go-Go's were also my first concert. In the first half of 1982 (having a hard time pinning down the exact date), my parents drove my friend Greg and me to see them live at Compton Terrace -- the famed concert venue started by Stevie Nicks' dad adjacent to the amusement park Legend City -- where the girls were headlining for the first time.
This was after being on the road opening for the Police, but before or just after "Vacation" came out that August. (The Blasters opened. Missing Persons at the Celebrity Theater would soon follow and then the Talking Heads back at Compton Terrace.) I think "Beauty and the Beat" was still selling so well that the band kept touring, which probably contributed to their sophomore slump. Greg and I were in absolute heaven, but things became -- how do I say this? -- a little more complicated that summer when the girls were going virtually head-to-head with Blondie's "comeback" album, "The Hunter." While I was excited for the second Go-Go's album, I REALLY wanted Blondie to have a smash.
Not only was my pride on the line, but the better it did the better the chances were that they'd play Phoenix, which wasn't exactly a touring hot spot back in the early '80s. But while the single "Vacation" and its campy video were a runaway hit, Debbie and the boys' "Tide Is High" retread, "Island of Lost Souls," was an unmitigated disaster. I'd skipped school to walk to Fiesta Mall to buy the single at Wherehouse Records (I'd called to see if it was in for weeks on in), but the second I put it on my record player and the opening horns began, I knew "I" was in trouble. (Looking back, the heinous picture sleeve should have been my first clue.) Still, I'd play it over and over again, trying to convince myself that it was THE BEST new song that summer, but deep down I knew it just wasn't a hit. Hoping it was just the label's fault for picking the "wrong" single, I turned to the b-side, "Dragonfly," only to be more horrified.
(Sadly, the second planned single, "War Child," was the album's best track, but never got released because "The Hunter" was such a flop.)
A lone Debbie, looking every bit a "lost soul" during a European promo appearance
Where I used to sit watching MTV 16 hours a day praying they'd show Blondie, I'd cringe when that god-awful video would come on, with Debbie in that wig and green dress, lying awkwardly on her stomach going through the motions.
Meanwhile, the Go-Go's were ALL OVER THE PLACE, America's sweethearts, with their adorable cassingles, water skis and multi-colored flag promos everywhere you turned. When "Get Up and Go" stalled at No. 50 I was (secretly) happy. (I showed them!) I also went out of my way to criticize the (how-could-it-not-be) inferior sophomore album, always pointing out the triteness of "Girl of a Thousand Lists" and "It's Everything but Partytime" while never acknowledging the utter brilliance of "He's So Strange" and "This Old Feeling."
But by the end of Blondie's (half-scrapped) Tracks Across America tour, which, as feared, never made it to the Valley of the Sun (my brother caught in Detroit and it nearly ended our relationship, although about a year ago I began to forgive him), Blondie called it a day. Although I was crushed, it was sort of a relief -- like the end of a relationship that had run its course but neither of you wanted to pull the trigger -- in that I was now free to love other bands.
And love I did. As well-chronicled, the summer of '84 the Go-Go's -- after taking most of '83 off to regroup -- were back with the delightful "Talk Show," which featured some of the band's most ambitious work to date. The tour was a huge hit, and my heart was now guilt-free and available to enjoy every second of it, culminating with our (pre-stalking) lurking around their hotel until we ran into them the day of the concert and seeing them (nearly front row) two nights in a row at Pine Knob. I even jumped on stage and danced with Jane on night 2. (I should mention that INXS opened. They were promoting their "Swing" album and Michael Hutchence was never more beautiful than he was that summer.)
Of course, no sooner had I given my heart to those Southern California girls, they chewed it up and spit it out, too. (Thanks a lot, Jane!) But we all know how that turned out. But once they reunited in 1990, they began touring more regularly than most bands that are still recording albums do. And when they finally did get together in the studio for 2001's "God Bless the Go-Go's," there was little doubt in my mind that the title, while meant to be tongue-in-cheek, was really speaking to the way many of their fans feel about them to this day. (The Spice Girls think they invented girl power, but we all know better.) So when I see Belinda sacrilegiously NOT doing "the Belinda dance" on DWTS, I'll just thank god that we've had her in our lives all these years. Can I get an Amen?
Totally Go-Go's: The band explain how it all began ...
Behind the Music ...
"Head Over Heels"
Not only was my pride on the line, but the better it did the better the chances were that they'd play Phoenix, which wasn't exactly a touring hot spot back in the early '80s. But while the single "Vacation" and its campy video were a runaway hit, Debbie and the boys' "Tide Is High" retread, "Island of Lost Souls," was an unmitigated disaster. I'd skipped school to walk to Fiesta Mall to buy the single at Wherehouse Records (I'd called to see if it was in for weeks on in), but the second I put it on my record player and the opening horns began, I knew "I" was in trouble. (Looking back, the heinous picture sleeve should have been my first clue.) Still, I'd play it over and over again, trying to convince myself that it was THE BEST new song that summer, but deep down I knew it just wasn't a hit. Hoping it was just the label's fault for picking the "wrong" single, I turned to the b-side, "Dragonfly," only to be more horrified.
(Sadly, the second planned single, "War Child," was the album's best track, but never got released because "The Hunter" was such a flop.)
A lone Debbie, looking every bit a "lost soul" during a European promo appearance
Where I used to sit watching MTV 16 hours a day praying they'd show Blondie, I'd cringe when that god-awful video would come on, with Debbie in that wig and green dress, lying awkwardly on her stomach going through the motions.
Meanwhile, the Go-Go's were ALL OVER THE PLACE, America's sweethearts, with their adorable cassingles, water skis and multi-colored flag promos everywhere you turned. When "Get Up and Go" stalled at No. 50 I was (secretly) happy. (I showed them!) I also went out of my way to criticize the (how-could-it-not-be) inferior sophomore album, always pointing out the triteness of "Girl of a Thousand Lists" and "It's Everything but Partytime" while never acknowledging the utter brilliance of "He's So Strange" and "This Old Feeling."
But by the end of Blondie's (half-scrapped) Tracks Across America tour, which, as feared, never made it to the Valley of the Sun (my brother caught in Detroit and it nearly ended our relationship, although about a year ago I began to forgive him), Blondie called it a day. Although I was crushed, it was sort of a relief -- like the end of a relationship that had run its course but neither of you wanted to pull the trigger -- in that I was now free to love other bands.
And love I did. As well-chronicled, the summer of '84 the Go-Go's -- after taking most of '83 off to regroup -- were back with the delightful "Talk Show," which featured some of the band's most ambitious work to date. The tour was a huge hit, and my heart was now guilt-free and available to enjoy every second of it, culminating with our (pre-stalking) lurking around their hotel until we ran into them the day of the concert and seeing them (nearly front row) two nights in a row at Pine Knob. I even jumped on stage and danced with Jane on night 2. (I should mention that INXS opened. They were promoting their "Swing" album and Michael Hutchence was never more beautiful than he was that summer.)Of course, no sooner had I given my heart to those Southern California girls, they chewed it up and spit it out, too. (Thanks a lot, Jane!) But we all know how that turned out. But once they reunited in 1990, they began touring more regularly than most bands that are still recording albums do. And when they finally did get together in the studio for 2001's "God Bless the Go-Go's," there was little doubt in my mind that the title, while meant to be tongue-in-cheek, was really speaking to the way many of their fans feel about them to this day. (The Spice Girls think they invented girl power, but we all know better.) So when I see Belinda sacrilegiously NOT doing "the Belinda dance" on DWTS, I'll just thank god that we've had her in our lives all these years. Can I get an Amen?
Totally Go-Go's: The band explain how it all began ...
Behind the Music ...
"Head Over Heels"
3 comments:
Ken, you must have the "Talk Show" episode of Cinemax "Album Flash." An hour of Go-Go's bliss. Someone posted the intro on YouTube, but sadly, that's all. If you have, there's your next mission.
Little did I know growing up as a teen in Wisconsin that my musical tastes would all become one big, gay cliche.
It's so interesting...I didn't even KNOW I was gay, but looking back on just about everything I loved then, it's now been categorized as absolutely, positively gay. Although I wonder if these artists realized how big of a gay following they had at the time.
I remember my older sister buying Beauty & the Beat, but I didn't really become a fan until Belinda released "Heaven is A Place on Earth." I even saw her solo tour for that CD. Still LOVE her voice. And I still can't believe God Bless the Go-Gos didn't enjoy better sales. I thought it was probably their best work as a whole.
But in the late 70s, early 80's I was ALL about Stevie Nicks and Barbra Streisand....ok, I still am.
I bought the Call Me 45rpm as well as Tide is High, but I never really appreciated Blondie until I saw their No Exit tour in 1999. Sadly, there were few people in the audience, but Debbie Harry performed as though the entire world was watching. She absolutely won me over that day. I even have Necessary Evil, which grows on me more and more with each listen...which is typically the case with Debbie's work.
Oh, I remember how sad I was when I first heard Island Of Lost Souls. It doesn't sound any better today. I think I only listened to that album once.
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