|
Some bands might be satisfied with racking up a collection of instantly recognizable hits, influencing a new generation of pop stars and stopping there. But for the Go-Go's, a stellar legacy just wasn't enough. So, singer Belinda Carlisle, bassist Kathy Valentine and guitarists Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey and drummer Gina Schock, responsible for such classics as "Our Lips Are Sealed," "We Got The Beat," "Vacation," and "Head Over Heels" decided to make a whole new album. God Bless the Go-Go's is truly a 21st Century Go-Go's LP. It reflects the exuberance the band has maintained through time and experience, bursting with the energy of their earliest albums, 1981's unforgettable Beauty And The Beat, the perfect pop of 1982's Vacation and its1984 follow-up hit, Talk Show. "There was always that unmistakable energy we have when we're together," says Carlisle. "Being back on stage together," Wiedlin adds, "made us realize that we still had music in us that hadn't come out yet." Writing new material was also a way of keeping things interesting. "We couldn't just trot out the same songs over and over, forever," Valentine says. Additionally, the Go-Go's were inspired by how many young girls and new fans came out to see their shows. So inspired that by the time the ladies were ready to enter the studio, they had written over 50 brand new songs. Other God Bless... highlights include the quintessentially Go-Go's "Stuck In My Car," the poignant and autobiographical "Daisy Chain," the anthemic "Throw Me A Curve," gritty groove rocker "Kissing Asphalt," and the moody "Automatic Rainy Day." Not to mention, pop gems "Apology" and "Vision Of Nowness," inspired by Sammy Davis Jr's reaction to meeting Belinda. Other outside writers collaborating with the band members include the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs ("Talking Myself Down") That Dog's Anna Waronker ("I Think I Need Sleep") and Lenny Kravitz guitarist Craig Ross. For the Go-Go's "fun" has always been the operative word. But, Valentine remembers, "There was a time around our third album when we were getting very sick of the fun, bubbly image. We really wanted to break out of that." Some years later, while at a B-52's show with Charlotte, she wondered, "Why was it so important to us that we be taken seriously?" At that moment, we realized that it's fine to just be what you are." As well, true wisdom apparently really does come with age. "Yeah, we think we're a little more mature, at times," says Charlotte. "But we're not that mature. We're a rock band!"
|
