Table of Contents 

• Beginnings
• The Go-Go's CD's on Amazon
• Early Efforts
• The Go-Go's Lead Singer is....
• The Go-Go's also Feature....
• Following the Early Success
• Photos of The Go-Go's Live
• Post 1985 Breakup
• "We Got the Beat" Live Video
• "We Got the Beat" Lyrics
• Other 80s Music-Related Lenses
• More Go-Go's Videos
• The Go-Go's Related Links
• Vote for Your Favorite Go-Go's CD
• The Go-Go's Latest Info and Reviews
• Are You a Fan of The Go-Go's?

Beginnings 

Forming in 1978, Belinda Carlisle (vocals), Jane Wiedlin (guitar, vocals), Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar, keyboards), Elissa Bello (drums),and Margot Olaverra (bass), were the original five members of the band. The first line-up change occurred in 1979 when Gina Schock replaced Bello on drums.

The band's big break occurred in 1979 when they rented a studio and recorded five songs as a demo. Based on this effort, their manager, Ginger Canzoneri, got them booked on a UK tour as an opening act for the band Madness.

The Go-Go's CD's on Amazon 

Beauty and the Beat

Greatest

Vacation

God Bless The Go-Go's

Return to the Valley of t...

Early Efforts 

While touring the U.K. and the U.S. with Madness in 1979 and 1980, The Go-Go's were able to release a single of "We Got The Beat" on the British recording label Stiff Records. The release and tour earned them a decent fanbase in the United Kingdom.

Bassist Margot Olaverra left the band near the end of 1980, and was replaced by Kathy Valentine. Valentine was a guitarist at the time, but quickly learned the bass for her new bandmates. Shortly after signing with I.R.S. Records in early 1981, the band released their first album. Beauty and the Beat would go on to become a big hit for the band, staying at number one for six weeks and selling over two million copies. The singles "Our Lips Are Sealed" hit number 20 and "We Got the Beat" spent three weeks at number two.

The Go-Go's Lead Singer is.... 

Belinda Carlisle

Belinda Carlisle is the lead singer and one of the founding members of The Go-Go's, which is one of the most successful all-female bands in music history. After her Go-Go's days, Carlisle would go on to score six top-thirty singles and three top-fort...

The Go-Go's also Feature.... 

Jane Wiedlin

Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin (born May 20, 1958 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, United States) is the rhythm guitarist of the all-female multi-platinum New Wave band The Go-Go's. Wiedlin was part of the LA punk scene that spawned bands like X and The Dick...

Following the Early Success 

The Go-Go's second album, 1982's Vacation, (right) was also a hit for the band, peaking at number eight on the U. S. charts. The single, "Vacation", also peaked at number eight. In 1984, the Go-Go's returned with their next album, Talk Show. While it had two Top 40 hits -- the number 11 "Head Over Heels" and number 32 "Turn to You" -- it failed to go gold. After Jane Wiedlin left the band in late 1984, the end of the line for The Go-Go's was near. The band did replace Wiedlin with Paula Jean Brown, but by mid-1985 the girls had broken up and The Go-Go's officially disbanded.

Photos of The Go-Go's Live 

The Go-Go's

The Go-Go's

The Go-Go's

The Go-Go's

The Go-Go's

Post 1985 Breakup 

The Go-Go's would release three mostly greatest hit and compilation albums between 1990 and 2000, rejoining and playing together in support of these releases. In 2001, the band released an album of new material, God Bless the Go-Go's (right). The album peaked at number 57 on the U. S. Billboard charts.

Today, The Go-Go's still get together for an occasional tour date, and although their glory days are well behind them, this more mature version of The Go-Go's can still make one fondly remember the music of the 1980s.

"We Got the Beat" Live Video 

"We Got the Beat" Lyrics 

Other 80s Music-Related Lenses 

Lenses by Twmarsh

The Go-Go's Video Showcase

Between the years of 1981 and 1984, The Go-Go's not only charted a number one double platinum album, but also five top-40 singles, making them one of the most successful all-female bands in music history.

Juice Newton

With her string of pop and country hits, combined with a distinctive, heavenly voice, Juice Newton continues to captivate a wide range of audiences. With six number-one singles, and a total of 38 albums and compilations, Juice Newton has amassed one...

The Bangles

Without question, The Bangles have been one of the most successful all-female bands ever. With four different singles to peak at either number one or two in the Billboard top 100, The Bangles have assured themselves a lofty place in American music hi...

Kim Wilde

Kim Smith was born on November 18, 1960, in Chiswick, West London, England. Smith, who would later change her name to Kim Wilde, would go on to become a 1980s pop music icon, an author and an award winning professional gardener.

Aimee Mann

American Aimee Mann has had an award-winning career in rock and pop music. Perhaps best known for her work in the 1980s, Mann's fiercely independent attitude towards her singing and songwriting has distinguished her amongst her piers.

More Go-Go's Videos 

The Go-Gos "Vacation"

The Whole World Lost Its Head - Go-gos

Head Over Heels - Go-Go's

The Go-Go's - Mad About You

The Go-Go's Related Links 

The Go-Go's Official Site

All Go-Go's related information

Wikipedia Entry

Wikipedia article on The Go-Go's

The Go-Go's on VH-1

The Go-Go's on the official VH-1 website.

The Go-Go's Video Showcase.

More Videos and Information on The Go-Go's

Vote for Your Favorite Go-Go's CD 

^#1

Vote Up

Vote Down

Beauty and the Beat

When the 1970s punk scene was washed away by the u more...0 points

When the 1970s punk scene was washed away by the undertow of '80s new wave, few bands surfed the transition as well as the Go-Go's. These Valley grrrls dressed up their punk heritage with a sense of glamour so that their music was at once ballsy and fanciful. The peppery singles "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed" were their debut's chart climbers and glossiest tracks. The rest of the album has a tougher crust. For example, the jittery "Can't Stop the World" would make the Ramones proud....0 points

^#2

Vote Up

Vote Down

Greatest

Includes: Vacation, Cool Jerk, Head Over Heals, Lu more...0 points

Includes: Vacation, Cool Jerk, Head Over Heals, Lust for Love, We Got the Beat and More.0 points

^#3

Vote Up

Vote Down

God Bless The Go-Go's

After a couple of short-lived tour reunions, the G more...0 points

After a couple of short-lived tour reunions, the Go-Go's have made it stick. God Bless the Go-Go's is their first studio album in 17 years, carrying on as if Belinda Carlisle's sparkling solo career and Jane Wiedlin's slightly less stellar one had never happened. The tough, assured sound of 1984's Talk Show is front and center here, at once a sonic counterpoint to the lyrics' general sense of frustration ("Automatic Rainy Day," "Unforgiven") and barricade in front of their ultimate triumph in it...0 points

^#4

Vote Up

Vote Down

VH1 Behind the Music: Go-Go's Collection

"America's sweethearts," Rolling Stone o more...0 points

"America's sweethearts," Rolling Stone once dubbed the Go-Go's, and it was certainly as true as it could've been in any post-'50s milieu. The surf-tinged New Wavers sold more than 2 million copies of their 1981 debut, Beauty and the Beat, while carrying on backstage in the grand manner of rock stars with much "dirtier" images. Thus the Behind the Music episode that occasions this 17-cut overview. Highlights of the L.A. quintet's three albums fill the disc, though "Forget That Day," the Talk Show...0 points

^#5

Vote Up

Vote Down

Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's

Japanese Re-release featuring Two Exclusive Bonus more...0 points

Japanese Re-release featuring Two Exclusive Bonus Tracks: Screaming and Turn to You.0 points

^#6

Vote Up

Vote Down

Talk Show

The Go-Go's returned from a long post-Vacation hia more...0 points

The Go-Go's returned from a long post-Vacation hiatus with this 1984 album, their punchiest-sounding by a mile, thanks to producer Martin Rushent (Buzzcocks, Altered Images). While its songs don't always touch the brilliance of Beauty and the Beat, Talk Show is the sound of a band's confidence and power peaking. The five manage a good trick here, that of pushing into darker thematic material without losing their sense of strength. Belinda Carlisle turns in her most poignant vocal performances ev...0 points

^#7

Vote Up

Vote Down

Vacation

Despite a great cover/title concept, the second al more...0 points

Despite a great cover/title concept, the second album from the Go-Go's is the weakest of their original three. Rushed out after the breakthrough of Beauty and the Beat, Vacation sounds affecting in retrospect, but suffers nonetheless from one or three too many so-so songs--a shame, given the top-flight writing throughout Beauty. Frontwoman Belinda Carlisle continues gaining control of her voice, while drummer Gina Schock all but steals the show. But a murky mix obscures the group's charms this t...0 points

Add to this list

Grab this list

Get the RSS feed: Keep an eye on this Plexo list. See who wins. And who's left in the dirt.

Get the widget: Add this Plexo list as a widget on your blog, site, forum, whatever. Be an influential. Show off your great find.

Get this on my lens: Attack of the clones! Grab this Plexo module for your own lens. Get YOUR readers to vote for their favorites.

• Add to Bloglines
• Add to My Yahoo
• Add to Google
• Add to Technorati
• Add to NewsGator
• Add to My MSN
• Grab the XML

Please pick your widget size and display. Then click "Make the Widget" to get the code that's just right for you.

Pick your widget size:

Small size: Best for blog sidebars, and areas 250 pixels or less
Standard size: Best for blog posts, and areas greater than 250 pixels wide

How many list items to show? 5 10 15 All

Make the Widget!

Voila: Just copy and paste this code into your own site. Have fun!

Oopsey! Please login to Squidoo in order to add this module to your lens.

Add more links    Submit

Type or paste links below (one per line):
Try adding the Amazon link here, or just the ASIN number. Help me find links

Done Adding

Cancel

The Go-Go's Latest Info and Reviews 

Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

Are You a Fan of The Go-Go's? 

Feel free to leave your thoughts here. Thnks for visiting.

ClaudetteKeith I loved the Go-Go's! Great Job! Claudette Posted October 07, 2008

KimGiancaterino I still love the Go-Go's. Great job on this lens. Squid Angel Blessed. Posted August 22, 2008

stevearun I believe you are the first one on squidoo to write about Go-Go's, Excellent work aaded to my lensroll as well as rated 5***** ;) Posted July 20, 2008

enslavedbyfaeries Just remembering when my girlfriends and I used to love "We Got the Beat" in high school. Yep, I'm a Go-Go's fan!! Posted July 14, 2008

GypsyOwl Thank you for this wonderful Go-Go's Lens! I am a Go-Go's Fan. 5* FAV Lens! Posted June 26, 2008