December 2021 — Nonconformist(s) of the month — The Go-go’s
On October 30, 2021 the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finally inducted The Go-go’s. This came 43 years after the band’s formation in 1978 by lead singer Belinda Carlisle and rhythm guitarist Jane Wiedlin. It also marked 40 years since their debut album “Beauty and the Beat” hit number one on the charts and stayed there for six weeks. They were the sweethearts of pop, but there is so much more to their story.
Most people don’t realize that The Go-go’s were originally a punk band that grew from nothing along the Sunset Strip of Los Angeles. The members were fans of punk music and especially the freedom of self-expression the genre embraced. Being in a band meant you were cool, even if (especially if) you were terrible, so they formed a band. At that time none of them knew how to play instruments. They learned by doing.
They have said in interviews that they were indeed terrible at first and that they didn’t even know how to plug in their amps. That didn’t stop them from getting up on stage anyway. They eventually recruited a guitarist, Charlotte Caffey, who knew how to plug in the amps and could also play. Then they found a drummer, Gina Schock, who was very disciplined about practicing. This is when things started to change. They got better and they got noticed.
They were invited to open for Madness and The Specials (ska bands) across England. The experience was difficult, as the audience was not accommodating and often spit on them and threw things. This not only toughened them up, but helped them further improve their musicianship. While there, they recorded and released a rough version of “We Got the Beat” on an Indy label. Upon their return, they found out a Los Angeles DJ had been playing it. Their next shows on the Sunset Strip had people lined around the block to get in. The line-up was completed when their bassist fell ill and Kathy Valentine filled in on one of those sold out shows. She was actually a guitarist, not a bassist, but was able to learn all the songs in just a few days. This took the band up another notch.
Yet in spite of their growing popularity, they couldn’t get a record deal because they were women. They got letter after letter stating that an all-female band was not going to sell records. But they refused to give up. They kept playing sold out shows on the Strip and seeking a record deal. Finally, Miles Copeland gave them a chance and signed them to his newly formed label IRS Records. They recorded “Beauty and the Beat” and while doing so learned that if they slowed down their playing (punk music is played very fast), the songs were all very catchy pop songs.
The album was released in July 1981 and the band went out on tour opening for The Police. By the time March 1982 rolled around the album was number one and stayed there for six weeks. They were the first all-female band who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to have a number one album. Not only that, but they were not put together by a man, they did it all themselves. They even had a female manager. This is why they qualify as nonconformists.
In spite of wild partying, in-fighting, legal battles, break-ups, and reconciliations, The Go-go’s continue to write songs, play shows, and remain close like sisters. I cried tears of joy watching their induction and was filled with nostalgia watching them perform. They were my heroes back in junior high and high school and I spent many hours listening to their music, memorizing every word. Their music helped me through a boring and sheltered existence and they taught me to never give up.