I'm happy to see someone likes it! It just felt like, I dunno... an afterthought? I hate to say that, since it sounds mean, but I'm not sure how better to phrase it.
Something about the wistfulness of Deadbeat Club really gets to me -- I don't know if it's directly about Wilson but it has that quality of "those days are gone" in the midst of a buzzy pop song.
I had a group of friends who had just rented a house together when Love Shack came out - their house became The Love Shack!
We have a friend that comes to town every now and then, and every time we go out, we end up at a dive bar that does Karaoke, and he and another friend ALWAYS sing Love Shack together!
I'm not familiar with the album but following reading this I intend to give it a listen. I can understand how radio stations may have reacted to Love Shack though, when you think about what was popular at the time. Love Shack sounds like nothing else... Although that's kind of the case for Love Shack no matter the time it kind of exists in a space beyond time itself...
Love Shack is definitely different from almost everything else that was on the radio at the time. I'd love to hear what you think of the record once you get a chance to listen to it!
Always enjoyed the B-52's - their first album was the 2nd album I purchased with my own money. I really need to go back and listen to all these albums.
This is one of the great albums of the late 80s and early 90s. It was played everywhere in my life at the time (parties, weddings, car rides, etc.) I have to be in the right mood to listen to it today but it's an incredibly well-produced and tonally complete experience. Love it!
Ricky Wilson died of AIDS when the disease was taking people incredibly quickly. It happened so fast it destroyed the band, especially his little sister Cindy. Then the record company refused to promote his final album with the band since they wouldn’t be touring. Classy move. This band STILL has not even been NOMINATED for the rock & roll HOF. Absurd. Yeah, according to an interview with Cindy Wilson I recently watched, “Cosmic Thing” is a big old autobiography of the early days of the B-52’s.
I think because the story is disgraceful. They abandoned that band because AIDS was still too taboo when Ricky died. Its heartbreaking. Such an odd, vulnerable, and wonderful band; half from Georgia, half from New Jersey?! But at its root, the band seemed to be the musical vision of Ricky Wilson. Keith Strickland talked about walking in on Ricky having had his “eureka” moment after down-tuning a broken guitar with 4 strings into the scale that became the template for “Rock Lobster” and I think “52 Girls” off the first album. Apparently there was a lot of him calling kid sister Cindy into his room in the early days to sing along to riffs he’d come up with. I like to think this song resulted from one of those collaborations. The guy is a stone rocker. He has a Link Wray thing going onstage that makes him look dangerous and slashing. One of the least talked about losses in rock and roll history, and it was a BIG one:
It won't shock anyone that my favorite tracks were not the hits. Pretentious hipster through and through. LOL. I'm a "Roam," "Junebug," and "Bushfire" gal.
Wow, thanks a lot for this. I was in college and loved rock, rock, rock. This was when the best of pop music entered for good in my playlists. And this was a fantastic album, in my opinion. Love every single track, played this album to exhaustion. Later I bought it again, in CD form. Top tracks for me "Roam" and "Love Shack". "Deadbeat Club" follows close.
Such an infectious groove! I used to play it really loud to see what our speakers could do. I'm sure my mom would disagree with our assessment that it's a great song. lol.
Not sure I ever listened to the album in its entirety but Love Shack and Roam were significant highlights in my freshman year at college which really couldn’t possibly have been 35 years ago?!?! Right?!?!?
This came out in my first year after college when I was busy with All The Things, so while it was a constant soundtrack at parties -- Love Shack is a bona fide all-time banger -- I didn't pay much attention to the details other than it being their first record after Ricky's death. It's fun to learn more about the record, so thanks for that.
Perfect Circle, the best book on REM, does a great job of explaining how important The B-52s were in the birth and growth of the Athens scene.
Crazy how foundational music and records are. Presents for kids/early teenagers are always hit or miss, as it’s difficult to predict what’s going to stick. The fact that the scooter lasted a few months but the cassette is still with you is such a beautiful reminder of the mysterious power of music.
Sometimes I look at some of the stuff I have that's survived all these moves and wonder what possessed me to hang on to it through all these moves, life events, etc. Then I play them and remember...
Nile Rodgers played guitar in Chic; his songwriting and producing partner Bernard Edwards was the group's bassist.
Fixed! That's what I get for editing late at night. Thank you for pointing that out, David.
I’ll go to bat for Funhouse, though even at the time you sensed it was the swan song.
I'm happy to see someone likes it! It just felt like, I dunno... an afterthought? I hate to say that, since it sounds mean, but I'm not sure how better to phrase it.
Something about the wistfulness of Deadbeat Club really gets to me -- I don't know if it's directly about Wilson but it has that quality of "those days are gone" in the midst of a buzzy pop song.
100%
This is a great way to frame it.
I had a group of friends who had just rented a house together when Love Shack came out - their house became The Love Shack!
We have a friend that comes to town every now and then, and every time we go out, we end up at a dive bar that does Karaoke, and he and another friend ALWAYS sing Love Shack together!
That's awesome. I love when things that like endure over time.
I love it!
I'm not familiar with the album but following reading this I intend to give it a listen. I can understand how radio stations may have reacted to Love Shack though, when you think about what was popular at the time. Love Shack sounds like nothing else... Although that's kind of the case for Love Shack no matter the time it kind of exists in a space beyond time itself...
Love Shack is definitely different from almost everything else that was on the radio at the time. I'd love to hear what you think of the record once you get a chance to listen to it!
Good memories of this album. I was in a psychological growth spurt, a comeback of my own, and the music fit where I was headed.
The right record and the right time. Perfect!
Always enjoyed the B-52's - their first album was the 2nd album I purchased with my own money. I really need to go back and listen to all these albums.
That first record is an all-timer!
This is one of the great albums of the late 80s and early 90s. It was played everywhere in my life at the time (parties, weddings, car rides, etc.) I have to be in the right mood to listen to it today but it's an incredibly well-produced and tonally complete experience. Love it!
Tonally complete is a perfect descriptor. Wish I would've thought of that!
Ricky Wilson died of AIDS when the disease was taking people incredibly quickly. It happened so fast it destroyed the band, especially his little sister Cindy. Then the record company refused to promote his final album with the band since they wouldn’t be touring. Classy move. This band STILL has not even been NOMINATED for the rock & roll HOF. Absurd. Yeah, according to an interview with Cindy Wilson I recently watched, “Cosmic Thing” is a big old autobiography of the early days of the B-52’s.
Absurd indeed. I wonder why that is?
I think because the story is disgraceful. They abandoned that band because AIDS was still too taboo when Ricky died. Its heartbreaking. Such an odd, vulnerable, and wonderful band; half from Georgia, half from New Jersey?! But at its root, the band seemed to be the musical vision of Ricky Wilson. Keith Strickland talked about walking in on Ricky having had his “eureka” moment after down-tuning a broken guitar with 4 strings into the scale that became the template for “Rock Lobster” and I think “52 Girls” off the first album. Apparently there was a lot of him calling kid sister Cindy into his room in the early days to sing along to riffs he’d come up with. I like to think this song resulted from one of those collaborations. The guy is a stone rocker. He has a Link Wray thing going onstage that makes him look dangerous and slashing. One of the least talked about losses in rock and roll history, and it was a BIG one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHLFdptpMGA
It won't shock anyone that my favorite tracks were not the hits. Pretentious hipster through and through. LOL. I'm a "Roam," "Junebug," and "Bushfire" gal.
Lol. Those are all great tracks, though. :)
Wow, thanks a lot for this. I was in college and loved rock, rock, rock. This was when the best of pop music entered for good in my playlists. And this was a fantastic album, in my opinion. Love every single track, played this album to exhaustion. Later I bought it again, in CD form. Top tracks for me "Roam" and "Love Shack". "Deadbeat Club" follows close.
You bet! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I have a killer extended 12 inch dance remix of Channel Z.
Love the B52s.
I think I need to go see if I can find a copy! I assume this is from your DJing days?
Yes it is. I have several B52 remix 12 inch singles.
Channel Z is my favorite on that album, one of my favorite 80's bands
Such an infectious groove! I used to play it really loud to see what our speakers could do. I'm sure my mom would disagree with our assessment that it's a great song. lol.
Not sure I ever listened to the album in its entirety but Love Shack and Roam were significant highlights in my freshman year at college which really couldn’t possibly have been 35 years ago?!?! Right?!?!?
It's simply not possible. I must've made a mistake while editing this. :)
This came out in my first year after college when I was busy with All The Things, so while it was a constant soundtrack at parties -- Love Shack is a bona fide all-time banger -- I didn't pay much attention to the details other than it being their first record after Ricky's death. It's fun to learn more about the record, so thanks for that.
Perfect Circle, the best book on REM, does a great job of explaining how important The B-52s were in the birth and growth of the Athens scene.
Thanks for mentioning the book! I'll have to add it to my TBR list.
Crazy how foundational music and records are. Presents for kids/early teenagers are always hit or miss, as it’s difficult to predict what’s going to stick. The fact that the scooter lasted a few months but the cassette is still with you is such a beautiful reminder of the mysterious power of music.
100%
Sometimes I look at some of the stuff I have that's survived all these moves and wonder what possessed me to hang on to it through all these moves, life events, etc. Then I play them and remember...
Same here!