Posted on 07/10/2021 1:26:33 PM PDT by nickcarraway
On July 8, 1981, the Go-Go's released their debut album, "Beauty and the Beat." To call the LP a watershed musical moment release would be underselling the album's influence.
Musically, the quintet's mix of nervy pop, gritty punk, rock, and girl-group harmonic gleam was a revelation. The five members — vocalist Belinda Carlisle, guitarists Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin, bassist Kathy Valentine, and drummer Gina Schock — were cool and confident onstage. These were talented women making music their way, following their own unique path — and showing legions of fans that they too could carve out space for themselves anywhere.
Thematically, the band softened punk's defiant stance with lyrics relatable to everyday life. Like the Go-Go's themselves, the characters of "Beauty and the Beat" were savvy and smart. Even if things didn't go quite according to plan — for example, "You Can't Walk in Your Sleep" uses the extended metaphor of insomnia and sleep disturbances (relatable!) to convey frustration over life's status quo — there was never a sense of feeling bleak or trapped.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Nirvana brought the “grunge” reverse cord progressions.
Sorry, millennial, that’s not even close to being true.
I make the case that The Knack had a bigger impact, because overnight we went from disco and corporate rock to more basic rock.
Re #15:
Well said.
LOL
I’m not a millennial.
I grew up on Black Sabbath, the Beatles and the Stones.
And what’s untrue?
Why are you here? Are the political threads too hard for you or do you simply enjoy being a jerk?
Nirvana and Metallica were also significant bands. That does not lessen the contribution of the Go-Go’s.
I enjoy provoking full grown men into emoting like 12 year old girls.
Don’t bring your mother into this.
Just thought it was haunting (for lack of a better term) in that movie. That is all. Over and out.
Their early sounds reminded me of early surf music.
Maybe the comment is more of an observation of the lack of talented girl groups today....
IF a group can sell records and get people to concerts a record company will support/advance them. It's basic economics.
I always attributed that to Reagan!
With the voice of Ann Sothern as “Mother”. But I digress
they were girl pop
in terms of staying power they didn’t last very long
a few hits
they were never intended to be the same bands
further the cars were the superior group and produced far better material for decades
yes this is a big grl power piece for them
they didnt last long wither and only had a few hits as well
the girl bands didn’t have staying power and they don’t make lots of hits and don’t keep playing for decades and producing new material
its harder work than you think to keep producing hits for ddcades and be on the road for decades and it wears you out
thats why there aren’t and haven’t been that many girl bands, the ones that exist do not last very long and dont write a lot of hits, they get 2 or maybe 3
some might overrate them
this puff piece certainly does
but they are what they are
they are tge archetypal girl band
a few hits across a few years, then they disband, maybe tge most talented goes solo awhile
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