I always think of them when I think of the 1980's (junior high, high school & college for me), right along with parachute pants, neon clothes, MTV and Rubik's Cube.
@@anthonymorris5084 I did, too, at age 6; I washed and vacuumed cars, painted houses, raked leaves, pulled weeds by hand. Made about $400; big money in the early '80s for a 6-year-old
my first concert EVER!!! 1980 I was 5 years old. Jill Geisler for the local news picked me out of a crowd at Summerfest in Milwaukee and told me I was going to get to introduce the GO GO'S to the crowd right before they came on. Ill never forget it. It was REALLY COOL!
@andy jonnson I dont know what you are implying. If you don't have anything to say thats remotely related to the story, why do you comment? And the universe goes on for infinity. Its endless so even your fake story is inaccurate
Ignore the troll, GREAT adventure you had at such a young age. You will cherish it for life don’t let that jerk rain on your parade. I took my daughter to see them at central park in the summer of ‘01 (mere days before 911) we made it onto their video by screaming at the top of our lungs in a really high-pitched dog whistle scream which made it to the DVD. Several years later we randomly met Belinda on the street in Paris & mentioned it to her she was extremely cool, said she could hear us on the DVD. Who knows maybe she was just saying it to be nice but it was certainly cool. Our experiences were real; yours & mine and NO infantile YT trolls are going to rob the fun away from our special Go-Go’s memories.
@@ns2110theonly OH wow! That is such a cool story!!!! you are so lucky you met her and got on her DVD! Yeah, Belinda went solo there for awhile and I was still loving it all. How awesome for you and your daughter
laura tomczak yes indeed! But actually you making that intro at age 5 is completely epic! That is a once-in-a-lifetime thing- that’s very rare! I too enjoyed Belinda’s solo stuff; the real album from 1993 is so classic, still listen to it today :)
@thomas thompson The musical, vocal, and lyrical passion and fury of, "How Much More", makes it the perfect second song on the album, since first play...
Fascinating documentary about the highs and lows of being in a band. It has everything; from betrayal to friendship, from howling laughter to sulking and bitterness; from punk vs the music industry; to how they got to be one the few bands to get to number one with their first album, regardless of sex; to drug taking and partying then going into recovery; to how love of what they do overcame a big bust up. It had several laugh out loud moments for me and it all comes from the girl’s honesty in their accounts of what they did; the who, how, when, where, and how if it all and importantly, how did they feel through all those different changing times. They all made and are still making the world a better place - from the original line-up to the latest players. Inspiring.
For all of you who grew up in the 80's what a magical time that must've been. Music is one of those things that will always transcend through generations and the 80's can do just that. I don't mess with the 70's or 90's 2000's too much when it comes to culture, music and other aspects of life. Everything seemed just right in the 80's you guys were very lucky to witness such a magical time.
Was 14 in 1980 Jon, There was as much shit as there was good stuff - even back then (at all times really). But there WAS some incredibly good stuff too - I was into punk (more Brit than American) and Aussie rock myself.. (helps being Australian).
@kevin w Your probably right. These 3 all girl bands were good, but did not produce a full body of work over time. I saw every one of them in concert in their prime and today they only have a small handful of legit songs left that I still want to listen to....
The same organization that has bands such as motorhead, Pantera, Mötley Crüe, and people like Todd Rundren and Bryan Adams on the outside looking in????
@@VerdammtX I kept the letter Johnny Rotten sent to that stupid museum of senile elitists. PUNK MESSAGE. I wanted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame DISAPPEAR with Progressive Music.
I saw them in concert when I was 12. Awesome! I am a metalhead female lead guitarist and they we're a big influence on me. Charlotte was in of my biggest influences.
I asked my dad (Who grew up listening to rock and metal) "Who's the Greatest Female Band of All-Time" He answered without a second breath "Oh, fuckin the Go-Gos! They lit the world on fire!!"
I love the Go•Gos Went to their outdoor and indoor concerts back in the days. Love the tune...This Town! Hope they come back and play for us fans soon! 😊
First saw them open for The Police then two years later saw INXS open for them! The ‘80’s were a great time for shows. When I go through my stack of ticket stubs and look at the ticket prices...those really were the days!🤤🤤🤤
Call your cable company and ask if there are any free 30 day trials. They usually offer them. I used to get them (sometimes for 3 months) through Dish. Try it out!
I saw them at a concert in Birmingham with the Flock of Seagulls as their open. It was the most fun I ever had with my clothes on. We danced so much we were covered in sweat and then we walked outside to a drenching rainstorm. It was everything you could hope for in a concert and more.
I remember moving into my college dorm in 1981 and my roommate and me singing this at the top of our lungs. The Go-Go's kicked in the doors to the 80's and unleashed a wave of empowered female musicians
The Go-Go's launched me into the 80's. I was just a kid until I discovered music at the start of high school. And that discovery was the Go-Go's. Still love that music.
My friend’s mom gave us a burned copy of Beauty and the Beat when I was little (I’m 22 now), and that album was one of my all-time favorites growing up. Needless to say, I’m excited to learn about a band that was so “instrumental” to my childhood
I met them on the Santa Monica bus in 1981... They were amazing,they asked me to join them at the beach,I declined... Today,I see the time I could have had!!♥️♥️♥️♥️LOVIN ME SUM GO GO'S
I'm white, over sixty, male, married for 30 years, Southern (with Confederate ancestors), straight, veteran and I like the Go-go's. So you don't have to be a lesbian to like a good band. Oh, have you listened to Fanny. That's another great all female band that should be listened to.
Mr. W. Ha ha yes very true indeed. I guess what I meant was my level of attraction and obsession with them LOL I will check out that other band I have not listened to them.
Oh my goodness I’m an 80’s kid totally. My teenage years in the 80’s was the best time of my life. I’m like so looking forward to seeing this documentary. Groundbreaking all female band that scratched, gnawed, and clawed their way to the top. Forever an 80’s girl 🙋🏻♀️💜🎶🎶🎶💯💯💯🙋🏻♀️
I was a GI stationed in Italy. I was working midnight to 8 when their first album came out, about 6 month delay where I was! From that point on we started drinking “green shits”. Mountain Dew and Southern Comfort.
Absolutely love this band, we used to do heavier punk versions of their hit songs. Like so many other Gen-Exer teen boys, I had a massive crush on Belinda Carlisle.
The Runaways were created to be exploited. The Go-Go's were more organic, and came out of the Hollywood punk scene. They're awesome! Give em the credit!
That first album is genius in every way. It’s one of my top five favorite albums of all time, seriously. Lust to Love, This Town, Skidmarks....awesome songs that are ageless.
I bought all their vinyl LPs when they first came out in 1978 - 1985 and then bought their greatest hits CD and their music was and still is fabulous because "They still got the beat."
@@SWLinPHX - Thanks for clarifying I wasn't clear on the exact LP year and googled it and they formed in 1978. I'm a bit older now yet I still remember loving and buying their LP when it came out especially since I was the music guy among my friends. However you are right, their 1981 debut album, Beauty and the Beat, is considered one of the "cornerstone albums of US new wave". I still have that LP!!!
I want to say congrats to you ladies, surviving the punk scene, the 80s and each other.🙂 I look forward to the next chapter: the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Just like the Mamas & the Papas and a few other acts, your time is l-o-n-g overdue!!🎶🎶🎵
For more history of the band, check out John Doe ' s two books about the Punk scene in LA in the 70's and 80's. Jane and Charlotte contribute some very well written chapters that talk about what being in the band was like. Jane's chapter on living in the Canterbury and Charlotte's drug use is insightful.
I remember seeing them before they got famous at the Hong Kong cafe in China town in 79 I think. Belinda Carlisle had a shaved head with rainbow dyed hair. Like a snow cone. “Cool jerk” was an early songs they sang. I wasn’t surprised they got famous so quickly.
"We always said if it wasn't fun we wouldn't do it. It started becoming REALLY not fun. " - Charlotte Caffey I've always felt that quote spoke volumes about the initial Go-Go's experience.
I saw them at the Greek Theater in 1984.... I was 23 years old and stationed at MCRD San Diego, but my girlfriend lived right on the beach at Pacific Beach..... It was truly a great time to be alive.....
I was a born music fan. Started buying albums at the age of 7 (Kiss Destroyer). Saw the Go-Go's completely ignorant of them on SNL in 1981. Rode my bike to the mall the next morning to pick up my copy of Beauty And The Beat. Wore it out. Never occurred to me that it was strange or remarkable they were all women. Just loved the band.
GREAT DOCUMENTARY. huge part of my life as a Gen Xer and it was great to see behind the scenes and learn about this amazing group of women.. That said PUT THEM IN THE HALL ALREADY.
Beauty and the Beat is on my top 10 albums of all time. Got to see them at The Troubadour in Los Angeles in 1994 or 1995 when they released Return to the Valley of the Go Go's. They were great!
This is great and kind of sad. Great to document what they went through. Sad because it reminds me since the Go Go's and the Bangles, you really cannot name one all female band since then that played their own instruments, wrote their own music, and performed with the amount of success either all-female band had. You might say The Donnas came close after these two bands as they had a couple of hits and lasted about a decade, but they never really achieved the success of either of these bands.
I respect one of the previous commenters position about The Runways. A great female band which gave us Joan Jett and Lita Ford after that band's demise. In defense of The Go- Go's, they were more of a pop band than punk, like The Runaways, but both of these bands come from the late 1970's LA punk scene. Billy Zoom from X and Brian Seltzer from The Stray Cats help both of the guitarists from The Go- Go's get better by giving them tips on how to play their instruments and the girls also friends with the ladies from The Runaways. Different styles, but still connected. Besides, girl groups and solo artists where around before The Runaways. Just a different style of music. Bottom line? Girls rule!!!!!!!
Not gonna lie, when I scrolled past the video initially, I saw front row of the picture and thought that this was an SNL spoof with Kate McKinnon and Winona Ryder as host. Now I’m scrambling to figure out how to subscribe to Showtime. The Go-Gos rock.
this looks like such a cool doc. never knew much or at all about them. but i don't have showtime and dont' want to get it just for this. hoping i can rent it down the line
GREAT band: They released years ago "Return to the valley of the Go-go´s" with some unreleased tracks and rarities that is a must for every fan (Watch out! it´s the 2-cd set one has to buy!!)
Dig all their music. Turn to You was an underrated song. One of my favorites by this amazing band. May I add, why the hell are they still not in the RR Hall of Fame??
Induct these talented musicians song writers into Rock Roll Hall of Fame!!! 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸❤ Friendly reminder that when you say ignorant things about women in power, they don't hear you. But your daughters do. Your mother does. Your sisters hear you. Your nieces hear you too. 😘
