The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American
new wave band formed in
Athens, Georgia
Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the sta ...
, in 1976.
[ The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), ]Kate Pierson
Catherine Elizabeth Pierson (born April 27, 1948) is an American singer, lyricist, and founding member of the B-52's. She plays guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments. In the B-52s, she has performed alongside Cindy Wilson, Fred Schneid ...
(vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson
Cynthia Leigh Wilson (born February 28, 1957) is an American musician and one of the vocalists, songwriters and founding members of new wave rock band the B-52's. She is noted for her distinctive contralto voice and also plays percussion during ...
(vocals, percussion), Ricky Wilson (guitar), and Keith Strickland
Julian Keith Strickland (born October 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and one of the founding members of The B-52s. He was born in Athens, Georgia.
Originally the band's drummer, Stricklan ...
(drums, guitar, keyboards). Ricky Wilson died of AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
-related illness in 1985, and Strickland switched from drums to lead guitar. The band also added various members for albums and live performances.
The group evoked a "thrift shop aesthetic", in Bernard Gendron's words, by drawing from 1950s and 1960s pop sources, trash culture
The term "trash culture" entered into common use in the West from the 1980s to indicate artistic or entertainment expressions considered to be of a low cultural profile but able to stimulate and attract the audiences. It refers to books, movies, ...
, and rock and roll. Schneider, Pierson, and Wilson sometimes use call-and-response
Call and response is a form of interaction between a speaker and an audience in which the speaker's statements ("calls") are punctuated by responses from the listeners. This form is also used in music, where it falls under the general category of ...
-style vocals (Schneider's often humorous sprechgesang
(, "spoken singing") and (, "spoken voice") are expressionist vocal techniques between singing and speaking. Though sometimes used interchangeably, ''Sprechgesang'' is directly related to the operatic ''recitative'' manner of singing (in which ...
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. The band has had many hits, including "Rock Lobster
"Rock Lobster" is a song written by Fred Schneider and Ricky Wilson, two members of the B-52's. It was twice recorded and released as a single, first by DB Records as their debut release in April 1978, and again the following year for the b ...
", "Planet Claire
"Planet Claire" is the second single released by The B-52's from their self-titled debut album. Based on Duane Eddy's 1959 version of the Peter Gunn theme song, the single was their second to chart anywhere, at no. 43 in Australia and no. 24 on ...
", "Party Out of Bounds
"Party Out of Bounds" is the title of a 1980 song by The B-52's, from their album ''Wild Planet''. Featured with the other dancefloor-bound tracks from the album, the song peaked at number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1980 ...
", "Private Idaho
"Private Idaho" is a single released by The B-52's from their 1980 album ''Wild Planet''.
Composition
The B-52's are from Athens, Georgia, and never played a concert in Idaho until September 13, 2011, when they played at Eagle River Pavilion in ...
", "Whammy Kiss
"Whammy Kiss" is the second single released by The B-52's from their 1983 album ''Whammy!''.
The song reached number nine on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, along with the album tracks "Legal Tender
Legal tender is a form of money that ...
", " Summer of Love", "Wig
A wig is a head or hair accessory made from human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber. The word wig is short for periwig, which makes its earliest known appearance in the English language in William Shakespeare's ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona' ...
", "Love Shack
"Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's from their fifth studio album, ''Cosmic Thing'' (1989). It was released on June 20, 1989, and was produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback for the band following their decline in p ...
", "Roam
Real-time optimally adapting mesh (ROAM) is a continuous level of detail algorithm that optimizes terrain meshes. On modern computers, sometimes it is more effective to send a small amount of unneeded polygons to the GPU, rather than burden the C ...
" and " (Meet) The Flintstones". They have been nominated for Grammy awards three times: in 1989, 1990 for 'Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal' and in 1992 for 'Best Alternative Music Album'.
History
1976–1979: Formation and early years
The B-52's formed in 1976 when Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson (her elder brother), Pierson, Strickland, and cowbell
A cowbell (or cow bell) is a bell worn around the neck of free-roaming livestock so herders can keep track of an animal via the sound of the bell when the animal is grazing out of view in hilly landscapes or vast plains. Although they are t ...
player, poet and lead vocalist Schneider held an impromptu jam session after sharing a flaming volcano
Flaming volcano is a large tropical group cocktail typically made with rum, brandy, pineapple juice, orange juice, and orgeat syrup. Many variations exist, and the cocktail in the 21st century is more about the presentation than an adherence to ...
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
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...
party for their friends.
The name ''B-52's'' comes from a particular beehive
A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus '' Apis'' live and raise their young. Though the word ''beehive'' is commonly used to describe the nest of any bee colony, scientific and professional literature ...
hairdo resembling the nose cone of the aircraft, which Pierson and Cindy Wilson wore in performances during the band's first decade. Other names the band considered were the Tina-Trons and Fellini's Children. Strickland suggested the name after a dream he had 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
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
and surf music
Surf music (or surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is instrumental s ...
set apart from their contemporaries by the unusual guitar tunings Ricky Wilson used and thrift-store chic.
The band's first single, "Rock Lobster
"Rock Lobster" is a song written by Fred Schneider and Ricky Wilson, two members of the B-52's. It was twice recorded and released as a single, first by DB Records as their debut release in April 1978, and again the following year for the b ...
", recorded for DB Records
DB Records (stylized as DB RECS) was a record label owned by Danny Beard, active from 1978 to 1997. The label was operated out of the Wax'n'Facts record store in the Atlanta, Georgia neighborhood of Little Five Points. Through the 1980s, the ...
in 1978, was an underground success, selling over 2,000 copies, that led to gigs at CBGB
CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in Manhattan's East Village. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for '' Country'', '' BlueGrass'', and '' Blues'', Kri ...
and Max's Kansas City
Max's Kansas City was a nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City, which became a gathering spot for musicians, poets, artists and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s. It was opened by Mickey Ruskin (1933–1983) in Decembe ...
. 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 rerecorded 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 rerecording of this appears on the band's second album, 1980's ''Wild Planet
''Wild Planet'' is the second studio album by the B-52's, released in 1980.
As with their first album, the B-52's traveled to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record ''Wild Planet''. Several of the songs from the album had been concert ...
''.) The buzz the record created in the UK meant their first show in London at the Electric Ballroom
The Electric Ballroom is a 1,500-capacity performance venue (primarily for rock bands) and indoor market located at 184 Camden High Street in Camden Town, London, England.
History
The Electric Ballroom started as an Irish ballroom in the 1930 ...
was packed and attended by UK pop stars, including Sandie Shaw Sandie may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Sandie Clair (born 1988), French professional racing cyclist
* Sandie Fitzgibbon, Irish former camogie player
* Sandie Jones (1950/1951–2019), Irish singer
* Sandie Lindsay, 1st Baron Lindsay of Birker (187 ...
, Green Gartside from Scritti Politti, and Joe Jackson. In Canada, released on the Warner Bros. label, the single went from cult hit to No. 1 on the ''RPM''-compiled national chart on May 24, 1980.
1979–1982: ''The B-52's'', ''Wild Planet'', and ''Mesopotamia''
In 1979, The B-52's signed contracts as they flew over to Compass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios was a music recording studio in the Bahamas, founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records. The concept of the studio was of a recording facility supported by in-house sets of artists, musicians, producer ...
in Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau ( ) is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas. With a population of 274,400 as of 2016, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas, Nassau is commonly defined as a primate city, dwarfing all other towns in the country. ...
, to record their debut studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
, with Island founder Chris Blackwell
Christopher Percy Gordon Blackwell (born 22 June 1937) is an English businessman and former record producer, and the founder of Island Records, which has been called "one of Britain's great independent labels". According to the Rock and Roll ...
producing. The band was surprised by Blackwell's recording methods; he wanted to keep the sound as close as possible to its live sound, so he used almost no overdubs or additional effects.['']With the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA
''With the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA'' is the first official live album and DVD release by American new wave band The B-52s. The concert was recorded on February 18, 2011 at The Classic Center in the band's hometown of Athens, Georgia, comm ...
''
Released on July 6, 1979, ''The B-52's
The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, ...
'' contained rerecorded versions of "Rock Lobster" and "52 Girls", six originals recorded solely for the album, and a cover of the Petula Clark
Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades.
Clark's professional career began during the ...
hit "Downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
". The album was a major success, especially in Australia, where it reached No. 3 on the charts alongside its three singles: "Planet Claire
"Planet Claire" is the second single released by The B-52's from their self-titled debut album. Based on Duane Eddy's 1959 version of the Peter Gunn theme song, the single was their second to chart anywhere, at no. 43 in Australia and no. 24 on ...
", "Rock Lobster", and "Dance This Mess Around". In the U.S., the single "Rock Lobster" reached the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, while the album was certified platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
by the RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. In 1980, John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
called the B-52's his favorite band and specifically cited "Rock Lobster" as an inspiration for his ''Double Fantasy
''Double Fantasy'' is the fifth album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, released in November 1980 on Geffen Records. Produced by Lennon, Ono and Jack Douglas, it was the seventh and final studio album released by Lennon during his lifetime. The al ...
''.
In April 1980, The B-52's 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
Rhett Davies (born 1949 in London) is an English record producer and engineer.
Davies' father was trumpet player Ray Davies (no relation to Ray Davies of The Kinks). Davies became a studio engineer at Island Records studios in the early 1970s, a ...
co-produced the album, which had a more polished production sound than the debut.
Released on August 27, 1980, ''Wild Planet
''Wild Planet'' is the second studio album by the B-52's, released in 1980.
As with their first album, the B-52's traveled to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record ''Wild Planet''. Several of the songs from the album had been concert ...
'' was well received by critics; many fans consider it the band's best album. It reached No. 18 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart in 1980 and was certified gold; "Private Idaho
"Private Idaho" is a single released by The B-52's from their 1980 album ''Wild Planet''.
Composition
The B-52's are from Athens, Georgia, and never played a concert in Idaho until September 13, 2011, when they played at Eagle River Pavilion in ...
" became the band's second Hot 100 entry. The B-52's performed on ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'' on January 26, 1980, and at the Heatwave
A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in th ...
festival (promoted as the "New Wave Woodstock") in Toronto, Canada, in August 1980. The band also appeared in the Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
film '' One Trick Pony''. In July 1981, ''Party Mix!
''Party Mix!'' is a remix album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1981 by Warner Bros. Records.
Background
The album was released between the band's second album, ''Wild Planet'' (1980), and their ''Mesopotamia'' EP (1982). I ...
'' was released, a six-song collection containing songs from the first two albums remixed and sequenced to form two long tracks, one on each side.
In 1981, the band collaborated with Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.[Talki ...](_blank)
' David Byrne
David Byrne (; born 14 May 1952) is a Scottish-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, visual artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of ...
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
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
'' 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
The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. In August 1982, the first compact disc was manufactured. It was then rele ...
.) Also in 1982, the band appeared at the inaugural US Festival
The US Festival (''US'' pronounced like the pronoun, not as initials) was the name of two early 1980s music and culture festivals in southern California, held east of Los Angeles, near San Bernardino.
Background
Steve Wozniak, cofound ...
, 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!
''Whammy!'' is the third studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released on April 27, 1983 in the United States, with Warner Bros. Records as the primary label. It was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, in December ...
''. 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 synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
s during this period.
Released on April 27, 1983, ''Whammy!'' reached No. 29 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. "Legal Tender
Legal tender is a form of money that courts of law are required to recognize as satisfactory payment for any monetary debt. Each jurisdiction determines what is legal tender, but essentially it is anything which when offered ("tendered") in pa ...
" reached the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, as well as the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play Singles chart alongside "Whammy Kiss
"Whammy Kiss" is the second single released by The B-52's from their 1983 album ''Whammy!''.
The song reached number nine on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart, along with the album tracks "Legal Tender
Legal tender is a form of money that ...
" and "Song for a Future Generation
"Song for a Future Generation" is a song by new wave band The B-52's. The song was released as the third single from the album '' Whammy!'', peaking at #63 on the UK Singles Chart. It is the first of two songs by the B-52's to feature more than ...
". For the ''Whammy!'' tour, some tracks featured Strickland on the drums while others used a backing track so Strickland could come forward and play other parts. This also freed up the vocalists (now sometimes not playing instruments) to perform some simple choreography. Copyright issues with Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Ono grew up i ...
led to the cover song
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
"Don't Worry" being removed from the album and replaced by "Moon 83"—a rearranged version of "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)" from their debut album—on future pressings of ''Whammy!''.
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
''Fred Schneider and the Shake Society'' is the debut solo studio album by American new wave musician Fred Schneider, released in 1984 by Warner Bros. Records. It was re-released in 1991 as ''Fred Schneider''.
Musicians and backing vocalists var ...
''.
In January 1985, the B-52's performed in Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
at Rock in Rio
''Rock in Rio'' is a recurring music festival originating in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It later branched into other locations such as Lisbon, Madrid and Las Vegas.
Nine incarnations of the festival have been held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, ...
, for their largest crowd ever. Later during the year the band struggled to write new material for their next album. The band members all lived together in the same house and felt that collaboration was not working, so they decided to try to write songs separately and began recording in July 1985, again using drum machines and synthesizers extensively. During the recording, guitarist Wilson had been suffering from AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
, though none of the other band members were aware of his illness except for Strickland, as Wilson "did not want anyone to worry about him or fuss about him." Wilson died from his illness on October 12, 1985, at the age of 32.
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 ''Bouncing off the Satellites
''Bouncing off the Satellites'' is the fourth studio album by American, new wave band the B-52's, released on September 8, 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded in July 1985 and was produced by Tony Mansfield. Founding member and guitari ...
'', a mixture of solo efforts and group efforts. Because of Wilson's death, the band did not tour to promote the album. A music video was made for " Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland" and the band appeared on some UK television programs but then took a two-year hiatus.
Cindy Wilson was devastated by her brother's death, as were her bandmates. The band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote their album, marking the beginning of an extended hiatus from their musical careers. Keith Strickland retreated to Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston, NY. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 in 2000 ...
, while Pierson and Schneider stayed in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. In 1987, the band released a public service announcement
A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. In the UK, they are generally called a public information film (PIF); in Hong Kong, ...
in the style of the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' album cover
An album cover (also referred to as album art) is the front packaging art of a commercially released studio album or other audio recordings. The term can refer to either the printed paperboard covers typically used to package sets of and 78-r ...
on behalf of amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, known until 2005 as the American Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy o ...
.
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 ''Cosmic Thing
''Cosmic Thing'' is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1989. It contains the singles " Love Shack" and " Roam". The success of the album served as a comeback after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 19 ...
'', their mainstream breakthrough, on Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels.
Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Enya, Michael ...
worldwide. The single " Channel Z" from the new album became an alternative and college radio hit, hitting No. 1 on the U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
chart, receiving significant airplay on MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's modern rock
Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music.
Radio format
Mod ...
show '' 120 Minutes''. They then embarked on the Cosmic Tour
''Cosmic Thing'' is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1989. It contains the singles "Love Shack" and "Roam". The success of the album served as a comeback after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985. ...
.
The next single, "Love Shack
"Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's from their fifth studio album, ''Cosmic Thing'' (1989). It was released on June 20, 1989, and was produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback for the band following their decline in p ...
", with its party vibe and colorful music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
, became their first top 40 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ultimately reaching No. 3 in November 1989. That peak was matched in March 1990 when their follow-up single, "Roam
Real-time optimally adapting mesh (ROAM) is a continuous level of detail algorithm that optimizes terrain meshes. On modern computers, sometimes it is more effective to send a small amount of unneeded polygons to the GPU, rather than burden the C ...
", also reached No. 3. 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
"Deadbeat Club" is a song written and performed by American new wave band the B-52's. The song was released as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album, '' Cosmic Thing'' (1989).
"Deadbeat Club" peaked at 30 on the US ''Billboa ...
", 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.
R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
's Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence.
Poss ...
, reached No. 30. ''Cosmic Thing'' climbed into the U.S. top five and earned multi-platinum certification. The album also had huge international success, reaching No. 1 in both Australia and New Zealand and No. 8 in the UK. The group had a hugely successful world tour to support the record and appeared on the cover of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' in March 1990. In 1990, the B-52's 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
James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
's song "Candy
Candy, also called sweets (British English) or lollies (Australian English
Australian English (AusE, AusEng, AuE, AuEng, en-AU) is the set of varieties of the English language native to Australia. It is the country's common language an ...
", which gave him a top 40 hit. In 1991, Schneider's 1984 solo record, ''Fred Schneider and the Shake Society
''Fred Schneider and the Shake Society'' is the debut solo studio album by American new wave musician Fred Schneider, released in 1984 by Warner Bros. Records. It was re-released in 1991 as ''Fred Schneider''.
Musicians and backing vocalists var ...
'', 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
"Shiny Happy People" is a song by the American rock band R.E.M. from their seventh studio album, '' Out of Time'' (1991). It features guest vocals by Kate Pierson of the B-52's, who also appears in the music video. According to the singer Micha ...
", 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
Cynthia Leigh Wilson (born February 28, 1957) is an American musician and one of the vocalists, songwriters and founding members of new wave rock band the B-52's. She is noted for her distinctive contralto voice and also plays percussion during ...
took time off from the band, with Julee Cruise
Julee Ann Cruise (December 1, 1956 – June 9, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and actress, known for her collaborations with composer Angelo Badalamenti and film director David Lynch in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She released fo ...
filling in for her on tour. The B-52's 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. 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.
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
''The Flintstones'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series takes place in a romanticized Stone Age setting and follows the activities of the titular family, the Flintstones, and their next-door neighb ...
'' 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
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
series ''Rocko's Modern Life
''Rocko's Modern Life'' is an American animated television series created by Joe Murray for Nickelodeon. The series centers on the surreal life of an anthropomorphic Australian immigrant wallaby named Rocko and his friends: the eccentric stee ...
'', from the second season onward. In the 1990s, former Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger ...
drummer Sterling Campbell joined the band, but left in 2000 to tour with David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
and was replaced that year by Zack Alford
Zachary "Zack" Alford is a professional drummer, known for his work with the B-52's, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and Tomoyasu Hotei. Alford was brought in by Danny Kortchmar to drum on Billy Joel's ''River of Dreams'' album.
Alford contribut ...
, 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
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" is a 1979 disco song performed by American R&B duo McFadden & Whitehead, from their debut album ''McFadden & Whitehead''. They wrote and produced the song along with keyboard player Jerry Cohen. McFadden & Whitehead wou ...
" for the 1996 film '' The Associate'', starring Whoopi Goldberg; Wilson rejoined the B-52's the same year.
A career retrospective, '' Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation'', appeared in 1998, along with two remixed maxi-singles: "Summer of Love '98" and "Hallucinating Pluto". A major tour (with co-headliners the Pretenders
Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Fa ...
) to promote the collection took place. "Debbie
Debbie (or Debby or Deb) is a feminine given name, commonly but not always short for Deborah (or Debra and related variants).
Notable people
* Debbie Allen, American actress, choreographer and film director
* Debbie Armstrong, American athlete
* ...
", another single from the album (a tribute to Blondie's Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble; July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1981.
Born in ...
), placed No. 35 on ''Billboard'''s Hot Modern Rock Tracks. In 1999, they recorded a parody of "Love Shack" called "Glove Slap" for an episode
An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption.
The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek term ''epeisodion'' (), meaning t ...
of ''The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
''. In 2000, they co-headlined another major tour with the Go-Go's
The Go-Go's are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboar ...
and recorded the song "The Chosen One" for the movie '' Pokémon: The Movie 2000''.
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
Irving Plaza (known through sponsorship as Irving Plaza, powered by Klipsch and formerly known as the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza) is a ballroom-style music venue located within the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. ...
show in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
featured Yoko Ono, as well as Tina Weymouth
Martina Michèle Weymouth (born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with her husband, Tal ...
and Chris Frantz
Charton Christopher Frantz (born May 8, 1951) is an American musician and record producer. He is the drummer for both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, both of which he co-founded with wife and Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth. In 2002, Frant ...
of Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.[Talki ...](_blank)
, as guests, with Chicks on Speed
Chicks on Speed is a feminist music and fine art ensemble, formed in Munich in 1997, after members Australian Alex Murray-Leslie and American Melissa Logan met at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.
Though Chicks on Speed reached cult status th ...
as the opener. 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. The B-52's recorded the song "Orange You Glad It's Summer" for a Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, f ...
commercial that aired in spring/summer 2002. Target also used the ''Cosmic Thing'' song "Junebug" in a TV spot five years later.
In late 2004, the band opened for Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
on a few dates of her Farewell Tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
. In March 2006, they opened for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
at a benefit for the Robin Hood Foundation
The Robin Hood Foundation is a charitable organization which attempts to alleviate problems caused by poverty in New York City. The organization also administers a relief fund for disasters in the New York City area. In 2010, a key supporter gave ...
. They had three remix EPs released by Planet Clique: ''Whammy!'' in 2005, ''Mesopotamia'' in 2006, and ''Wild Planet'' in 2007. During this time span, they appeared on many television shows, including ''The L Word
''The L Word'' is a television drama that aired on Showtime from January 18, 2004 to March 8, 2009. The series follows the lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women who live in West Hollywood, California. The premise originated with Ilene ...
'', '' V.I.P.'', ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show
''The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' is an American daytime variety television talk show created, hosted, and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It premiered on June 10, 1996, and concluded after six seasons on May 22, 2002.
This talk sh ...
'', ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014.
The fourth incarnation of the ...
'', the ''Late Show with David Letterman
The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
'', ''The Arsenio Hall Show
''The Arsenio Hall Show'' is an American syndicated late-night talk show created by and starring comedian Arsenio Hall.
There have been two different incarnations of ''The Arsenio Hall Show''. The original series premiered on January 3, 1989, ...
'', ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'', ''Live with Regis and Kelly
''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' (or simply ''Live'') is an American syndicated morning talk show hosted by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. Executive produced by Michael Gelman, the ''Live with...'' show formula has aired under various hosts since ...
'', ''The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
'', ''Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'', as well as numerous times on VH1.
2008–present: ''Funplex'' and continued touring
In 2008, the band dropped the apostrophe from their name to become "The B-52s". ''Funplex
''Funplex'' is the seventh studio album (eighth overall) by The B-52s, recorded during 2006 and 2007. The album was released on March 25, 2008, by Astralwerks Records. It was the first album of new material the group had released since ''Good ...
'', the band's first original album in 16 years (since 1992's ''Good Stuff''), was released on March 25, 2008, by Astralwerks. Talking about the record's sound, Strickland noted, "It's loud, sexy rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
with the beat turned up to hot pink." The album was produced by Steve Osborne
Stephen John "Steve" Osborne (born 1963) is a British record producer, living in Bath, England. He has worked with a wide variety of musicians, including Suede, the B-52s, A-ha, New Order, Elbow, U2, Happy Mondays, Placebo, Gregory Porter, Do ...
, 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 Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...
'' and ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...
'', and performed on ''The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
'' on Memorial Day 2008. They also participated in the True Colors Tour 2008
True Colors was an annual music event created by American recording artist Cyndi Lauper. The concerts were headlined by Lauper and featured various music and comedy acts. Beginning in 2007, the trek supported the Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG and ...
with Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
and embarked on a European tour in July.
The first single from the album was "Funplex
''Funplex'' is the seventh studio album (eighth overall) by The B-52s, recorded during 2006 and 2007. The album was released on March 25, 2008, by Astralwerks Records. It was the first album of new material the group had released since ''Good ...
", which was released digitally on January 29 to the iTunes Store
The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
in the U.S. The second single lifted from the album was "Juliet of the Spirits
''Juliet of the Spirits'' ( it, Giulietta degli spiriti) is a 1965 fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini and starring Giulietta Masina, Sandra Milo, Mario Pisu, Valentina Cortese, and Valeska Gert. The film is about the vi ...
". 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. The B-52s performed their hit track "Love Shack
"Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's from their fifth studio album, ''Cosmic Thing'' (1989). It was released on June 20, 1989, and was produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback for the band following their decline in p ...
" with Sugarland at the 2009 CMT Music Awards
The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on the CMT (Country Music Television) channel. Voting takes p ...
.
On February 18, 2011, the B-52s played a show at the Classic Center in their hometown of Athens, Georgia
Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the sta ...
, 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
''With the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA'' is the first official live album and DVD release by American new wave band The B-52s. The concert was recorded on February 18, 2011 at The Classic Center in the band's hometown of Athens, Georgia, comm ...
'', released in October 2011.
The group continued to perform live, with a touring band that featured musicians Sterling Campbell (drums), Paul Gordon (keyboards, guitar) and Tracy Wormworth
Tracy Ann Wormworth (born December 15, 1958) is an American bass guitarist.
Wormworth is a member of the B-52s. She has recorded and toured with the band since the Cosmic Tour of 1990. She played on their sixth studio album, 1992's ''Good Stuff ...
(bass), and performances included the closing show for the 2011 edition of the Montreal Jazz Festival
The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal ( en, Montreal International Jazz Festival) is an annual jazz festival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Jazz Fest holds the 2004 Guinness World Record as the world's largest jazz fes ...
, as well as being the house band during the 2012 TV Land Award
The TV Land Icon Awards was an American television awards ceremony that generally commemorates shows now off the air, rather than in current production as with the Emmys. Created by Executive Producer Michael Levitt, the awards were hosted and bro ...
s. At the end of 2012, Strickland announced he would no longer tour with the B-52s, though he would continue as a member of the band. Without Strickland, the B-52s continued to tour across the world with groups including The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboar ...
, Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath, England, in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the new wav ...
, The English Beat
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
, The Psychedelic Furs
The Psychedelic Furs are a post-punk band founded in London in February 1977. Led by lead vocalist Richard Butler and his brother Tim Butler on bass guitar, the Psychedelic Furs are one of the many acts spawned from the British post-punk scene ...
, Simple Minds, Boy George and Culture Club and Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey. Aside from touring, the group covered the ''Squidbillies
''Squidbillies'' is an American animated television series created by Jim Fortier and Dave Willis for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. An unofficial pilot for the series aired on April 1, 2005. The series later made ...
'' theme song during Season 10 of the Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim
Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representati ...
and often abbreviated as s is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television Television channel, channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programme ...
series and appeared as guests in the sketch comedy show ''Portlandia''.
In 2019, the group announced a tour to begin in May in the United States, which would take them to Europe and back to the U.S. through the fall. 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.
In April 2022, the group announced that they would embark on a final farewell tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
, with KC and the Sunshine Band
KC and the Sunshine Band is an American disco and funk band that was founded in 1973 in Hialeah, Florida. Their best-known songs include the hits "That's the Way (I Like It)", "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", "K ...
, lasting from August 11th to November 11th, 2022. The final dates of the concert were postponed until January 2023, due to illness.
Band members
Current members
* Fred Schneider – vocals, percussion
*Kate Pierson
Catherine Elizabeth Pierson (born April 27, 1948) is an American singer, lyricist, and founding member of the B-52's. She plays guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments. In the B-52s, she has performed alongside Cindy Wilson, Fred Schneid ...
– vocals, percussion , keyboards
*Cindy Wilson
Cynthia Leigh Wilson (born February 28, 1957) is an American musician and one of the vocalists, songwriters and founding members of new wave rock band the B-52's. She is noted for her distinctive contralto voice and also plays percussion during ...
– vocals, percussion
*Keith Strickland
Julian Keith Strickland (born October 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and one of the founding members of The B-52s. He was born in Athens, Georgia.
Originally the band's drummer, Stricklan ...
– guitar, keyboards, programming, backing vocals , drums
*Tracy Wormworth
Tracy Ann Wormworth (born December 15, 1958) is an American bass guitarist.
Wormworth is a member of the B-52s. She has recorded and toured with the band since the Cosmic Tour of 1990. She played on their sixth studio album, 1992's ''Good Stuff ...
– bass
* Sterling Campbell – drums
*Greg Suran
Greg Suran is the lead guitarist in the B-52s, a role he has performed since 2013. He replaced Keith Strickland on the road after Strickland announced in December 2012 that he would no longer be touring with the B-52s but would continue as a me ...
– guitar
*Ken Maiuri
Kenneth Maiuri is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Florence, Massachusetts. Since early 2016, he has been the keyboardist for The B-52's. He has played in numerous other bands, such as Pedro the Lion and The Mammals. H ...
– keyboards, guitar
Former members
* Ricky Wilson – guitar
*Pat Irwin
Pat Irwin (born May 17, 1955) is an American composer and musician who was a founding member of two bands that grew out of New York City's No Wave scene in the late 1970s, the Raybeats and 8-Eyed Spy. He joined The B-52s from 1989 through 200 ...
– keyboards, guitar
*Zack Alford
Zachary "Zack" Alford is a professional drummer, known for his work with the B-52's, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and Tomoyasu Hotei. Alford was brought in by Danny Kortchmar to drum on Billy Joel's ''River of Dreams'' album.
Alford contribut ...
– drums
*Sara Lee
Sara may refer to:
Arts, media and entertainment Film and television
* Sara (1992 film), ''Sara'' (1992 film), 1992 Iranian film by Dariush Merhjui
* Sara (1997 film), ''Sara'' (1997 film), 1997 Polish film starring Bogusław Linda
* Sara (2010 ...
– bass
*Julee Cruise
Julee Ann Cruise (December 1, 1956 – June 9, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and actress, known for her collaborations with composer Angelo Badalamenti and film director David Lynch in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She released fo ...
– vocals
* Paul Gordon – keyboards, guitar
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
* ''The B-52's
The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, ...
'' (1979)
* ''Wild Planet
''Wild Planet'' is the second studio album by the B-52's, released in 1980.
As with their first album, the B-52's traveled to Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record ''Wild Planet''. Several of the songs from the album had been concert ...
'' (1980)
* ''Whammy!
''Whammy!'' is the third studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released on April 27, 1983 in the United States, with Warner Bros. Records as the primary label. It was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, in December ...
'' (1983)
* ''Bouncing Off the Satellites
''Bouncing off the Satellites'' is the fourth studio album by American, new wave band the B-52's, released on September 8, 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded in July 1985 and was produced by Tony Mansfield. Founding member and guitari ...
'' (1986)
* ''Cosmic Thing
''Cosmic Thing'' is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1989. It contains the singles " Love Shack" and " Roam". The success of the album served as a comeback after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 19 ...
'' (1989)
* '' Good Stuff'' (1992)
* ''Funplex
''Funplex'' is the seventh studio album (eighth overall) by The B-52s, recorded during 2006 and 2007. The album was released on March 25, 2008, by Astralwerks Records. It was the first album of new material the group had released since ''Good ...
'' (2008)
See also
*Music of Athens, Georgia
The music of Athens, Georgia, includes a wide variety of popular music and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and new wave. The city is well known as the home of chart-topping bands like R.E.M., Widespread Panic, and ...
References
Further reading
*
* Grow, Kory
"Love Shacks, Rock Lobsters and Nude Parties: The B-52's in Their Own Words,"
''Rolling Stone,'' June 2, 2018.
*
*Sexton, Mats (2002). The B-52's Universe: The Essential Guide to the World's Greatest Party Band. Plan-B Books. p. 232.
*
External links
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:B-52's, The
1976 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Musical groups from Athens, Georgia
Astralwerks artists
Island Records artists
LGBT-themed musical groups
Musical groups established in 1976
Rock music groups from Georgia (U.S. state)
Warner Records artists
Reprise Records artists
American new wave musical groups
American post-punk music groups
American art rock groups
Dance-rock musical groups
Art pop groups
Musical quartets
Sonet Records artists