Music today was inspired by an email that Dare sent about how he was getting into his record collection in alphabetical order and was seriously digging the debut album by the B-52’s (1979). So I thought I’d give it a listen tonight. It’s part surf, part sci-fi, part cartoon, part new wave, part comedy but with all these elements, characterful, unique, engaging. Featuring Fred Schneider on vocals, Kate Pierson on vocals and keys, Cindy Wilson on vocals and percussion, her brother Ricky Wilson on guitar and Keith Strickland on drums. It also of course featured their ‘beehives’ that we’ve already seen this week with the sad loss of Ronnie Spector. The B-52’s, so-called allegedly because it looked like the nose cone of the plane. Sadly Ricky Wilson succumbed to AIDS and died at the age of 32 in 1985. In the meantime, Keith Strickland had adopted Wilson’s unique guitar style as the band took on new members in the rhythm section.

This first album was produced by Island guru Chris Blackwell. The irresistible Planet Claire opens the album but perhaps the song everyone remembers is Rock Lobster, too short at 6.52. The B-52’s went on to great success, if you don’t remember Love Shack (1989), you must have been living under a rock – lobster.

Music Of The Daze

The musical musings in this post are an excerpt from my daily blog, TO WHERE I AM NOW, featured on my main website. See more pictures and read the full post here.