BELINDA CARLISLE
Belinda Carlisle (born August 17, 1958) is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go’s, one of the most successful all-female bands of all time. She later went on to have a successful solo career with hits such as “Mad About You”, “I Get Weak”, “Circle in the Sand”, “Leave a Light On”, and “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” among others, which were major successes in the United States and the United Kingdom as well as internationally. Her autobiography, Lips Unsealed, published in June 2010, was a New York Times Best Seller and received favorable reviews. (More from Wikipedia)
Charlotte Caffey left the Eyes shortly after the release of “Don’t Talk to Me” to become one of the founding members of the Go-Go’s (one of my all time favorites); she was bass player in the Eyes but became lead guitarist in her new band. Despite their girl-next-door rep and cheerleader-good-looks, this most successful of the all-female rock bands was well rooted in LA’s punk rock scene: The other two founding members, lead vocalist Belinda Carlisle and guitarist Jane Wiedlin were numbered among the back-up singers called the Blackettes that performed with Black Randy and the Metrosquad.
(July 2010)
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My earlier article on the Eyes mentioned that members of the Go-Go’s had deep roots in the Los Angeles punk rock scene, but I didn’t know the half of it. I recently picked up an LP called Germicide (oh, yes, they are still making new LP’s – I get them all the time) of the first live concert in June 1977 by the Germs (I also mentioned that band in the article). The first single by the Germs on What Records?, “Forming” b/w “Sex Boy” (which was released in the following month) is regarded as the very first punk rock record that was released in LA. The woman introducing the band at the beginning of the concert was “Belinda”; and sure enough, I was able to pin that down as being Belinda Carlisle, the lead singer of the Go-Go’s.
(July 2012)
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The band was formed in 1978 and was originally called the Misfits, with Belinda Carlisle (lead vocals), Jane Wiedlin (guitar, vocals), Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar, keyboards), Margot Olavarria (bass), and Elissa Bello (drums). Gina Schock replaced Bello on drums in 1979; after Olavarria became ill and could no longer perform, Kathy Valentine took her position in the band. Jane Wiedlin thought up the name “the Go-Go’s”. The band was signed to I.R.S. Records in early 1981 and started a lucrative tour with the Police, before returning shortly thereafter with their own headlining tour.
(November 2013)
