B52s

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-!MUSIC 55 F|LM/0YD 56 B00t(S 58 THilTtR 60 REIURI{ IO IHE LOUE SHAGI( The B-52s, the world's greatest partyband, comes out (in more ways than one) with its first new album in 16 years By MTcHAEL Grlrz WHEN THE B-52s first formed in1976, Jimmy Carter was about to win the White House. The iast time they released an album of original material-in 1992-Clinton was on his wayto takingover for Bush Sr. And as their first offering in t6 years hits the stands March 25, the country is abuzzwithtalkof theDemocraticPartymakinghistory. "We won't do an album without a Democrat in the White House," jokes B-52s guitarist Keith Strickland. Whether you credit politics, the rise of derivative acts like Scis- sor Sisters and Mika, or a surge of creativity from a band that's never stopped touring behind classics like "Roam" and "Planet Claire," +<. Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, Kate Pierson, and CindyWilson March25,2008 rHE ADvocATE 53SPTGIAIOR the B-52s are finallyback. Whlle Funplexreflects Strickland's love of electronica, there's no doubt the album sounds like vintage B-52s, thanks to songs like "Pump," which played on TheLWord, "Love in the Year 3000," and "Keep This Party Going"-goofy, deliciously surreal numbers that celebrate the mall, autoerot- icized human beings, and, yes, partying. This seems in keeping with singer Fred Schneider's advice for his fellow Ameri- cans: "Forgetthe Republicans. Put all those right-wingers and religious nuts on the North Pole and let God take care of them. Everyone inAmerica should take off their clothes and have a good time." But something has changed for the B-52s since the release of Good Stuff-they got a little queerer. While it has long been know that the three original male band members (Strickland, Schneider, and the late Ricky Wilson) were gay, redheaded bombshellKate Piersonhas come out about her relationship with Monica Nation. (The two own Kate's Lazy Meadow Motel in Mount Tremper, N.Y) Kate and Monica have been open about their relationship for some time, though it will likely come as a surprise to manyfans. "Well, it was news to me," Strickland says with a laugh. For his part, Schneider doesn't remem- ber how he found out. "Maybe she sent out an e-mail saying'I'm a lesbian,"'he says, adding "\Me were gonna ostracize her. We wdnt the press! Stay in!" f the B-52s had recorded nothing but "Rock Lobster," the band would live on wherever there was a party. But songs like "Cosmic Thing" "Private Idaho" (the inspiration for Gus Van Sant's film My OwnPrivate Idahd. and "Love Shack" haveunderscored their message that misfits would someday rule the world. That battle cry was likely forged when Ricky Wilson and Strickland were still two closeted teens. "Ricky is my first friend who came out," says Strick- land, who lives in Key West, FIa., with his partner, Mark Hayda. 'And it was really cute howhe did it. He satme down on a sofa and he said, 'Ricky Wilson is gay.' At fi rs! because he was speaking in the third person, I was a little confused. But then I was like. OK. that's cool. I think it was six months later that I came out." When Strickland met Schneider at the Universitv of Georgia, the queer misfit group grew. "I met Fred at a street dance," he remembers. 'At this time I was very flamboyant and I was really into the whole glitter scene. I had longhair, but I teased it out, and I wore makeup, and I'd wear like silver 1am6 pants. I was/cr more outrageous than I ever was in the band. I saw two people dancing out of this whole crowd listeningto the music. I thought, They lookinteresting. The guy was Fred, and they looked at me and kind of laughed." The B-52s famously formed one night after heavy drinking at a Chinese restau- rant when a friend of Schneider's insisted they perform at her Valentine's Day party. So Schneider, Strickland, Wilson, Wilson's sister Cindy, and Pierson came up with six songs (including "Rock Lobster'), most of which would appear on their eponymous debut CD and are still live staples today. The party almost stopped when Ricky Wilson died of AIDS complications in 1985. The band had been only quietly open un- til then. "Especially if you're in a rock and roll milieu," says Schneider, "you just don't trumpet it. We didn't back then. If people asked, yes." But theywere forthright aboutWilson. "It was actually the same month, I think, Rock Hudson died," recounts Strickland. "There was a lot of fear around it and a lot of ignorance. People just didn tknow. What is this? How do you get it? But he was very brave, very brave, and went very quickly. They just didn't have the drugs they have now. Of course, after that we didn t think that we could continue without Ricky." The band had an album almost com- pleted when Wilson died called Bouncing Offthe Satellites. But it was the album Cos- mic Thing three years later that would pro- pel the B-52s to stardom and honor theirfriend's memory the best. 'A friend ofours said he felt like the al- bum was a funeral in New Orleans," says Strickiand, "where the musicians sing and clap their hands behind a funeral proces- sion and celebrate a person's life. There's a lot of reflection on that album. Itwas abit- tersweet success, defi nitely." Selling 4 million copies in the United States, Cosmrc ?hing produced two top-10 hits with "Love Shack" and "Roam" and turned the cult band into MTV mainstays. Ifthe piled-up hair and vintage clothing didn't prove the B-52s weren't your typi- cal band, Cindy's announcement that she was leaving to be closer to her family-at the height oftheir success-did. For the re- cord, Strickland says she never really quit; shejust took a leave ofabsence. But their record company, Reprise- suddenly realizingthatthis eccentric group was a massive chart success-pressured them to record a new album and tour. The result, GoodStuJf,wasrushed and, to some, unsatisfying. But a good thing did come out ofit. Strickland decided to come out pub- licly once and for all. "Wehad allbeenout in ourprivate lives," he says. "The funny thing is, we were never asked in the press, and no one in the record company ever said aq,thing. We were writ- ingGood Stuff fwhich was overtly political by B-52s standards], and I felt like I wanted to get it out there and get it over with. "I was really moved by Madonna," he continues. "She's not gay, but she's really supportive. Why should I hide being gay? Why is it something I should be afraid of talking about? There is often legitimate fear depending on where you live, but you just have to be verybrave and be an adult." And that's where the B-52s are today- adult but still ready to have fun. . "I didn't smoke anypot for the first time while doingthis album-maybe once," says Schneider. "I'm really happy that I could channel whatever nuttiness without smok- ing pot every day." Solo albums, side projects, families, and lovers have all helped B-52s return stron- ger than ever. And if the message remains the same, it's one worth repeating. While renting avideo in Woodstock, N.Y., Strick- land was recognizedbythe clerk. She said, "Oh, the B-52s meant so much to me. I never knew if any of them were gay. But it didn't matter because they made me feel good about being gay myself." "Gosh, what a badge," he says. "Some- thing like that really means more to me than an award. You put out somethingthat made someone feel good about herself. That has p been our message: It's OK to be different. i Make it work for you. Be yourself. There's * not goingto be another like you." * q 54 THE ADvocATE March25,2008

📄 B52s

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