The B-52s
The B-52s | |
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![]() The B-52s performing live in Athens, Georgia, on February 18, 2011. Left to right, top to bottom: Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson, Keith Strickland | |
Background information | |
Origin | Athens, Georgia, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 1976–present |
Labels | |
Members | |
Past members | Ricky Wilson |
Website | theb52s |
The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an
The B-52s have had many hits, including "Rock Lobster", "Planet Claire", "Party Out of Bounds", "Private Idaho", "Whammy Kiss", "Summer of Love", "Wig", "Love Shack", "Roam" and "(Meet) The Flintstones". They have been nominated for three Grammy Awards: twice for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group in 1990 and 1991, and for Best Alternative Music Album in 1992. In April 2022, the group announced they were retiring from touring.[10] A 2023 Las Vegas residency was announced in November 2022.[11]
The group evoked a "thrift shop aesthetic", in Bernard Gendron's words,[7] by drawing from 1950s and 1960s pop sources, trash culture, and rock and roll. Schneider, Pierson, and Wilson sometimes use call-and-response-style vocals (Schneider's often humorous Sprechgesang contrasting with Wilson's and Pierson's melodic harmonies), and their guitar- and keyboard-driven instrumentation is their trademark sound, which was also set apart from their contemporaries by the unusual guitar tunings Ricky Wilson used on their earlier albums.
History
1976–1979: Formation and early years
They formed as "the B-52's" in 1976 when Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson (her elder brother), Pierson, Strickland, and cowbell player, poet, and lead vocalist Schneider held an impromptu jam session after sharing a flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant in Athens, Georgia. When they first jammed, Strickland played guitar and Ricky Wilson played congas. They later played their first concert (with Wilson on guitar) in 1977 at a Valentine's Day party for their friends.[12]
The name "B-52's" comes from a particular beehive hairdo resembling the nose cone of the aircraft, which Pierson and Cindy Wilson wore in performances during the band's first decade.[13] Other names the band considered were the Tina-Trons and Fellini's Children.[14] Strickland suggested the name after a dream he had of a band performing in a hotel lounge. In the dream, he heard someone whisper in his ear that the band's name was "the B-52's".
The band's quirky take on the new wave sound of its era was a combination of dance and surf music set apart from their contemporaries by the unusual guitar tunings Ricky Wilson used and thrift-store chic.
The band's first single, "Rock Lobster", recorded for DB Records in 1978, was an underground success, selling over 2,000 copies, that led to gigs at CBGB and Max's Kansas City. Both this version of "Rock Lobster" and its B-side, "52 Girls", are different recordings from those that appear on the band's 1979 debut album, and the early version of "52 Girls" is in a different key.
The re-recorded version of "Rock Lobster" was also released as a single and in the UK and Germany was backed with an instrumental version of "Running Around", a non-album track at the time. (A vocal re-recording of this appears on the band's second album, 1980's
1979–1982: The B-52's, Wild Planet, and Mesopotamia
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/The_B-52%27s_%281980_Warner_publicity_photo%29.jpg/220px-The_B-52%27s_%281980_Warner_publicity_photo%29.jpg)
In 1979, the B-52s signed contracts as they flew over to
Released on July 6, 1979,
In April 1980, the B-52s returned to Compass Point Studios to record their next album. Several of the songs on the new album had been concert staples since 1978; the band consciously did not record them for its first album since it already had too many tracks and wanted a strong second album, knowing that its live performances would make fans look forward to it. Rhett Davies co-produced the album, which had a more polished production sound than the debut.
Released on August 27, 1980,
In 1981, the band collaborated with Talking Heads' David Byrne to produce a third full-length studio album. Reportedly due to differences with Byrne over the album's musical direction, recording sessions for the album were aborted, prompting the band to release Mesopotamia in 1982 as an EP. (In 1991, Party Mix! and Mesopotamia, the latter of which had been remixed, were combined and released together on a single compact disc.) Also in 1982, the band appeared at the inaugural US Festival, performing on the first day.
1982–1987: Whammy!, Bouncing off the Satellites, and death of Ricky Wilson
In December 1982, the band began recording their third album, Whammy!. According to Pierson, Strickland no longer wanted to play the drums, so the band switched to drum machines for this album, with Strickland and Ricky Wilson playing all the music on the album, and the rest of the band providing vocals only. Having originally played guitars, organ, bass guitar and synthesizers, Pierson switched to a mainly vocal role in the studio, but remained behind the keyboards on tour. The band also began experimenting heavily with synthesizers during this period.
Released on April 27, 1983, Whammy! reached No. 29 on the
Before the work on the next album the band took a one-year break during which Fred Schneider released his debut solo album Fred Schneider and the Shake Society.
In January 1985, the B-52s performed in
When the band returned to the studio, Strickland had learned how to play the guitar in Wilson's unique style and switched permanently to the new instrument, leaving session players to complete the rhythm section. The results were released on September 8, 1986, as
1988–1992: Comeback, Cosmic Thing, and Good Stuff
Strickland had been composing in 1988. After he played some of his new music for the other band members, they all agreed to try writing together again, with Pierson, Wilson and Schneider contributing the lyrics and melodies. In 1989, the band released
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Kate_Pierson_and_Fred_Schneider_%281989%29.jpeg/220px-Kate_Pierson_and_Fred_Schneider_%281989%29.jpeg)
The next single, "Love Shack", with its party vibe and colorful music video,[28] became their first top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, ultimately reaching No. 3 in November 1989.[29] That peak was matched in March 1990 when their follow-up single, "Roam", also reached No. 3.[30] In Australia, the country that had most embraced the band a decade earlier, "Love Shack" remained at No. 1 for eight weeks.
A fourth single, "Deadbeat Club", which reminisced about the band's early days in Athens and whose video was shot on location and featured a cameo by fellow Athens artist R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, reached No. 30. Cosmic Thing climbed into the U.S. top five and earned multi-platinum certification.[31] The album also had international success, reaching No. 1 in both Australia and New Zealand and No. 8 in the UK. The group had a successful world tour to support the record and appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in March 1990.[32] In 1990, the B-52s were nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year. They won two awards: Best Group Video and Best Art Direction.
Pierson sang on Iggy Pop's song "Candy", which gave him a top 40 hit. In 1991, Schneider's 1984 solo record, Fred Schneider and the Shake Society, was repackaged and re-released, resulting in his first Hot 100 single when "Monster" climbed to No. 85. Also that year, Pierson again guest-starred on a popular track, R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People", which reached No. 10 in September. Pierson also appeared on two other songs from R.E.M.'s chart-topping album Out of Time: "Near Wild Heaven" and "Me in Honey", as well as the outtake "Fretless".
In late 1990, Cindy Wilson took time off from the band, with Julee Cruise filling in for her on tour. The B-52s released Good Stuff in 1992 as a trio—the only album release on which Cindy Wilson was not present—and the title track reached No. 28 in August of that year. The album made it to No. 16 in the U.S.[33] It is also the group's most overtly political album, though they had been activists and fundraisers for environmental, AIDS and animal rights causes for many years.[34]
1993–2007: Soundtrack appearances, 25th anniversary and touring
The band had their next chart entry in 1994 when, as the BC-52's, they appeared in The Flintstones live-action movie and sang the title song. When released as a single, it reached No. 33 in the U.S. and No. 3 in the UK. In 1994, Pierson and Schneider also sang on the theme song for the Nickelodeon series Rocko's Modern Life, from the second season onward. In the 1990s, former Duran Duran drummer Sterling Campbell joined the band, but left in 2000 to tour with David Bowie and was replaced that year by Zack Alford, who had recorded and toured with the band during the Cosmic Thing era. Pierson and Cindy Wilson recorded a cover of the McFadden & Whitehead song "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" for the 1996 film The Associate, starring Whoopi Goldberg; Wilson rejoined the B-52s the same year.
A career retrospective,
In 2002, a more extensive anthology, Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology, was released, and in February of that year the band held a series of concerts celebrating their 25th anniversary. The Irving Plaza show in New York City featured Yoko Ono, as well as Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads, as guests, with Chicks on Speed as the opener.[37] Coinciding with the band's 25th anniversary was the publication of The B-52's Universe: The Essential Guide to the World's Greatest Party Band, the first and only officially authorized biography of the band. The book was nominated for a Lambda Lit Award and was a Minnesota Book Awards finalist.[citation needed] The B-52s recorded the song "Orange You Glad it's Summer" for a Target commercial that aired in spring/summer 2002. Target also used the Cosmic Thing song "Junebug" in a TV spot five years later. In late 2002, the critically panned cartoon pilot "The Groovenians" featured a theme song performed by the band.
In late 2004, the band opened for
2008–2021: Funplex and continued touring
Prior to 2008, the band used an apostrophe in their name, rendering it as "The B-52's". In 2008, the band dropped the apostrophe to become "The B-52s".[8] Asked about the change, Pierson said "It was not grammatically correct. It's not like a possessive. It just seemed superfluous."[8]
Funplex, the band's first original album in 16 years (since 1992's Good Stuff), was released on March 25, 2008, by Astralwerks.[38][39][40] Talking about the record's sound, Strickland noted, "It's loud, sexy rock and roll with the beat turned up to hot pink."[41] The album was produced by Steve Osborne, who was asked to work on the album based on his work with New Order on the album Get Ready.
The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard charts in the U.S., immediately making it the second-highest charting B-52s album ever. The band toured in support of the album and made appearances on talk shows, including
The first single from the album was "Funplex", which was released digitally on January 29 to the iTunes Store in the U.S. The second single lifted from the album was "Juliet of the Spirits".[42] Schneider said in an interview that the album just broke even and could be the B-52s' last new studio album, though he later retracted that statement.[43] The B-52s performed their hit track "Love Shack" with Sugarland at the 2009 CMT Music Awards.
On February 18, 2011, the B-52s played a show at the Classic Center in their hometown of Athens, Georgia, four days after the 34th anniversary of their first-ever show on February 14, 1977. The concert was filmed and recorded for With the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA, released in October 2011.
The group continued to perform live, with a touring band that featured musicians
In 2019, the group announced a tour to begin in May in the United States, which took them to Europe and back to the U.S.[49] On September 30, 2019, it was reported that the band would be featured in the upcoming Archie Comics' comic book Archie Meets the B-52s, released in February 2020.[50]
2022–present: Final tour and Vegas residency
In April 2022, the group announced that they would embark on a final
Following the end of the farewell tour, the B-52s embarked on residencies at The Venetian Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada.[53] The first residency concerts took place in May, August and September 2023, with further dates scheduled for April 2024.[53][54]
On May 15, 2024, the City of Athens, Georgia, announced that their Federal Prospects Hockey League team team would be named the Rock Lobsters, honoring the band and their hit song.[55] The decision came after an online poll where the Rock Lobsters won by a wide margin. The band responded on social media, stating "we are truly honored to have our hometown hockey team named the Rock Lobsters. As the song declares, 'Let’s rock!’".[56]
Members
Current members
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Former members
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Current touring members
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Former touring members
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Timeline
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/dz8kfaxldacy5kpd0x638ajpx70qcjk.png)
Discography
Studio albums
- The B-52's (1979)
- Wild Planet (1980)
- Whammy! (1983)
- Bouncing Off the Satellites (1986)
- Cosmic Thing (1989)
- Good Stuff (1992)
- Funplex (2008)
See also
References
- ^ "The B-52s | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Spitz, Mark (March 16, 2008). "Return of the Rock Lobsters". The New York Times. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
- ^ "The B-52s, Bringing Back the Party". NPR Music. April 10, 2008. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
- ISSN 0886-3032.
- ^ "The B-52's: The B-52's". Pitchfork.
- ^ Sawdey, Evan. "Dance This Mess Around The B-52's – "Lava"". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
- ^ a b Gendron, Bernard (2002). Between Montmartre and the Mudd Club: Popular Music and the Avant-Garde. University of Chicago. p. 289.
- ^ a b c Bream, John (June 8, 2008). "Fun house". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "The B-52s: The stories behind the hit songs". EW.com. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- ^ AP News. April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
- ^ "B-52s announce return to Las Vegas for ten-night residency at the Venetian Resort". KTNV Las Vegas. November 29, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ Azerrad, Michael (March 22, 1990). "Mission Accomplished". Rolling Stone. No. 574. p. 46.
- ^ Riggs, Ransom (July 20, 2007). "A history of bad hairstyles". CNN. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "B-52s". T. Cole Rachel. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ^ "40 years of Rock Lobster and how the B-52s revived John Lennon's career". Cbc.ca. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ "The B-52s Rock Lobster Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- ISBN 9780857125958.
- ^ "The 100 Best Albums of the Eighties". Rolling Stone. No. 565. November 16, 1989. Citation posted at "100 Best Albums of the Eighties: 29 | John Lennon and Yoko Ono, 'Double Fantasy'". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2007. Retrieved October 20, 2009. Originally posted January 21, 1997.
- ^ "Wild Planet > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". AllMusic. 2006. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Whammy! > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". AllMusic. 2006. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1983). "B-52's: Whammy!". Robert Christgau. Retrieved March 16, 2010.
- ^ a b "AIDS and the Arts: A Lost Generation". Newsweek Health – MSNBC.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "EMP: Experience Music Project: Kate Pierson talking about Ricky Wilson". YouTube. Archived from the original on July 24, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ Metzger, Richard (February 23, 2012). "Art Against AIDS: The B-52s and Friends (1987)". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
- ^ "Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks Chart Listing For The Week Of August 26, 1989". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ISSN 0886-3032.
- ^ Unterberger, pp. 133–135
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Chart Listing For The Week Of November 18, 1989". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Chart Listing For The Week Of March 10, 1990". Billboard. September 12, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Album Database". RIAA.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ^ "Cover Photo for March 22, 1990". Rolling Stone. May 11, 2004. Retrieved May 11, 2008.
- ^ "The B-52s Chart History". Billboard.
- ^ "Dela Font Agency". Delafont.com. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ^ "Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks Chart Listing For The Week Of June 27, 1998". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "The Chosen One". AllMusic
- ^ Wiskirchen, Julie. "The B-52s 25th Anniversary Concert with Chicks on Speed". Ape Culture. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ "Anticipated Funplex Release Date". Archived from the original on November 18, 2007. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "B-52s Getting The Party Started Again". Billboard. October 30, 2007. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "B-52s Ready First Album in 16 Years". Digital Spy. October 25, 2007. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ Rolling Stone First B-52s Album in 16 Years October 24, 2007
- ^ "New Single Juliet of the Spirits". Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
- ^ "Interview: Fred Schneider of the B-52′s". Surviving the Golden Age. February 10, 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ^ "Timeline Photos". Facebook. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ Pingel, Mike (March 26, 2013). "Belinda Carlisle Shines as Bright as the Sun". FrontiersLA.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
We are touring from mid-June to mid-July with the B-52's for a lot of the dates.
- ^ Rockman, Lisa. "Simple Minds and The B-52s at Bimbadgen Estate". The Herald. Fairfax. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ Collins, Hugh. "Review: Vibrant Simple Minds and B-52s light up Vector Arena". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax Media. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ DeMeglio, Mary J. "Run the Jewels and B-52s Will Make a Trip to 'Portlandia' Next Season". billboard. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ "Tour". theb52s.com. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
- ^ Grote, Dan (September 30, 2019). "Archie to meet the B-52s in February". WMQ Comics. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- ^ Shearer, Andrew. "B-52s postpone sold-out Athens concert due to illness, rescheduled for January". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- ^ Ho, Rodney. "CONCERT REVIEW: The B-52s return to Athens to dance this mess around and say goodbye". Georgia Entertainment Scene Blog (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Jones, Abby (November 29, 2022). "The B-52s Announce 2023 Las Vegas Residency". Consequence. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Chamas, Aniya (August 21, 2023). "The B-52s add five new shows to Las Vegas residency in 2024". KLAS. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Mathis, Andy (May 15, 2024). ""Athens Pro Hockey unveils new team name – the Rock Lobsters – honoring hometown B-52s"". The Red & Black. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ Dennis, Ryne (May 15, 2024). ""Athens pro hockey team name to be tribute to city's music scene. Here's what you chose"". Athens Banner-Herald. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ Eldredge, Richard L. (January 4, 2013). "Barnstorming days at an end for one B-52's member". Atlanta Magazine. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ Posted at 14:48h (March 7, 2016). "The B-52s Rock The Space at Westbury, NY 2-26-16". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
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Further reading
- Brown, Rodger Lyle (2003) [1991]. Party Out of Bounds. Penguin Books. p. 221. ISBN 0-452-26631-9.
- Grow, Kory. "Love Shacks, Rock Lobsters and Nude Parties: The B-52's in Their Own Words," Rolling Stone, June 2, 2018.
- Martini, Della (1990). The B-52's. New York City, New York: Wise Publications. p. 32. ISBN 0-7119-2376-0.
- Sexton, Mats (2002). The B-52's Universe: The Essential Guide to the World's Greatest Party Band. Plan-B Books. p. 232. ISBN 0-9652745-9-4
- Unterberger, Richie (1999). Music USA: The Rough Guide. The Rough Guides. pp. 133–140. ISBN 1-85828-421-X.
External links
- Official website
- The B-52s at Curlie
- The B-52s discography at MusicBrainz
- The B-52s discography at Discogs
- The B-52s at IMDb