The Go-Gos

The Go-Go's are an all-women band. They formed in 1978 and first rose to fame in the ska punk community supporting Madness on tour. They played primarily pop punk and retro-1960s rock. They have had five top-40 hits.

Personnel

• Charlotte Caffey, lead guitar and keyboards
• Belinda Carlisle (real name: Belinda Kurczeski), lead vocals
• Gina Schock, drums
• Kathy Valentine (replaced Margot Olaverra in 1980), bass guitar and rhythm guitar
• Jane Wiedlin, rhythm guitar and backup vocals

Background

In 1980 (1980 in music), the Go-Gos' "We Got the Beat" became an underground hit. After exchanging Olaverra for Kathy Valentine (the band's sound was turning from punk to pop, and Olaverra's punk persona was becoming a pop liability), the Go-Go's signed to IRS Records and released Beauty and the Beat, which was a surprise hit and topped the charts for six weeks. "Our Lips Are Sealed" and a new version of "We Got the Beat" were extremely popular singles. The follow-up, however, Vacation, sold well but quickly ran out of momentum. 1984 saw a return to critical acceptance with the album Talk Show, but sales were poor. In 1985 (1985 in music) the band broke up.

Rumor has it that what did in the band was excessive hedonism and drug abuse. Around 1983, Carlisle had a $300-a-day cocaine habit, and Caffey had a heroin habit. In 1983, a videotape surfaced showing Carlisle and Valentine at a post-gig party at which both were inebriated and uninhibited. In 1985, Caffey underwent treatment to rid herself of the heroin habit, and Carlisle followed suit. After the drug treatment, neither could continue with the band anymore; Jane Wiedlin had previously departed.

Belinda Carlisle had a successful solo career for most of the late 1980s, while Wiedlin did some recording and acting. Charlotte Caffey worked with Carlisle and then formed a band called the Graces for Perfect View (1990 in music).

In 1990, Wiedlin organized a reunion that began with a benefit for PETA, and again in 1994, when they released Return of the Valley of the Go-Go's. In 2001, they released an album of new material entitled "God Bless the Go-Go's". They have since decided to continue performing and recording together.