The Go-Go’s Band Members Then & Now: Where Are They Today?

A new documentary is premiering Friday, July 31 on Showtime called The Go-Go’s, which “chronicles the first all-female band to play its own instruments, write its own songs and soar to No. 1 on the album charts.” Here’s what you need to know about its member timeline and what everyone in the band is doing now.

Member Timeline

The Go-Go’s – We Got The Beat (Official Music Video)REMASTERED IN HD! Official video of The Go-Go’s performing We’ve Got The Beat from the album Beauty And The Beat. Buy It Here: http://smarturl.it/fo6lxm Like The Go-Go’s on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GoGosOfficial Follow The Go-Go’s on Twitter: https://twitter.com/officialgogos Official Website: http://www.gogos.com/ Official YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGoGosVEVO #TheGoGos #WeGotTheBeat #Remastered #Vevo2009-02-26T19:39:14Z

Belinda Carlisle and Jane Wiedlin were the founding members of the band, which started out as a new-wave punk band in the late 1970s in Los Angeles. According to a Rolling Stone biography of the band, Carlisle, who was a cheerleader in high school, began playing music with Wiedlin, who got Carlisle started playing guitar.

They were soon joined by Charlotte Caffey and recruited Margot Olavarria on bass and Ellisa Bello on drums. However, the inexperienced Bello was soon replaced by Gina Schock on drums and the band started to have some commercial success. But in 1980, the group decided if they were going to be a big hit, they needed to lean more into pop songs and Olavarria was asked to leave. She was replaced by Kathy Valentine.

The group had a huge hit with their 1981 album Beauty and the Beat, which went double platinum and had two of their biggest hits in “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “We Got the Beat.” The band’s sophomore album, Vacation, was certified gold and had a hit in its eponymous single. The group had a couple of other hits in 1984 but they weren’t as successful as they had been in the previous few years, so Wiedlin left the group. Paula Jean Brown was brought in to replace her, but Carlisle and Caffey left the group in 1985 and it disbanded.

The group reunited for a 1990 benefit concert, then got together for a retrospective album in 1994 that had a few new songs on it, which led to a short tour. A few years later, Schock sued the group, claiming she was not properly paid for her songwriting contributions. The suit was resolved in 1999 and the band reunited again. They toured regularly from 1999 onward, but Valentine left in 2013 and sued the band for breach of fiduciary duty. That suit was resolved in 2014.

But in 2018, Valentine rejoined the group to perform in conjunction with the debut of the group’s Broadway musical, Head Over Heels. The original quintet of Carlisle, Wiedlin, Caffey, Valentine, and Schock reunited for several shows that year. Then in early 2020, the group announced a tour to coincide with the release of the Showtime documentary, though those shows have had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Belinda Carlisle Today

Belinda Carlisle – I Get Weak (Official Video)Music video by Belinda Carlisle performing I Get Weak. (C) 1988 Geffen Records #BelindaCarlisle #IGetWeak #Vevo2009-11-23T03:27:28Z

Carlisle had the biggest solo career outside of the band, which includes hits “Mad About You,” “Heaven Is a Place On Earth,” and “I Get Weak.” She was the Playboy cover and celebrity pictorial in August 2001, appeared on Dancing With the Stars in 2009 and starred as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray in London’s West End from October 2009 to March 2010. She released her eighth studio album in 2017.

In her personal life, she married film producer Morgan Mason in 1986 and they welcomed son James in 1992. According to a recent interview she did with the East Anglian Daily Times, Carlisle and her family moved to Bangkok, Thailand in 2017. She has also become more politically active for LGBTQ+ rights because her son is gay.

She has also been sober since 2005, telling the East Anglian Daily Times that by now, “Sobriety is second nature. I don’t give it a whole lot of thought. Of course, it’s one day at a time, I still go to meetings occasionally but I don’t struggle with it.”

Jane Wiedlin Today

Clue (5/9) Movie CLIP – I Am Your Singing Telegram (1985) HDClue movie clips: http://j.mp/1uwn3Fm BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/w10Yab Don’t miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr CLIP DESCRIPTION: Yvette (Colleen Camp), The Cop (Bill Henderson) and The Singing Telegram Girl (Jane Wiedlin) each come to an untimely demise. FILM DESCRIPTION: In this spoof of McCarthy-era paranoia and 1950s wholesomeness, the characters and plot are drawn from the popular Parker Brothers board game of the same name. On a dark and stormy night in 1954, six individuals with ties to Washington are assembled for a dinner party at the swanky mansion of one Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving). Boddy’s butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry), assigns each guest a colorful name: Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Col. Mustard (Martin Mull), Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren), and Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn). Two additional servants, the Cook (Kellye Nakahara) and Yvette, the maid (Colleen Camp), assist Wadsworth as he informs the guests that they have been gathered to meet the man who has been blackmailing them: Mr. Boddy. When Boddy turns up dead, however, the guests must try to figure out who killed him so they can protect their own reputations and keep the body count from growing. Three separate endings were filmed for Clue and shown in different theaters; all three are collected for the video edition. Although the film is set in the 1950s, the original Clue game was actually devised by Anthony Pratt, a clerk in Leeds, England, to pass the time during World War II air-raid drills. First released in 1946 under the name Cluedo by British manufacturer Waddington’s, Clue was renamed and released in the U.S. in 1949. Today, Clue/Cluedo is marketed in 70 countries around the world and has been adapted into a British game show and an off-Broadway musical. CREDITS: TM & © Paramount (1985) Cast: Tim Curry, Bill Henderson, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Eileen Brennan, Colleen Camp, Madeline Kahn, Lesley Ann Warren, Jane Wiedlin Director: Jonathan Lynn Producers: Jeffrey Chernov, George Folsey Jr., Peter Guber, Debra Hill, John Landis, Jon Peters Screenwriters: John Landis, Jonathan Lynn, Anthony E. Pratt WHO ARE WE? The MOVIECLIPS channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and lines from all your favorite films. Made by movie fans, for movie fans. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MOVIE CHANNELS: MOVIECLIPS: http://bit.ly/1u2yaWd ComingSoon: http://bit.ly/1DVpgtR Indie & Film Festivals: http://bit.ly/1wbkfYg Hero Central: http://bit.ly/1AMUZwv Extras: http://bit.ly/1u431fr Classic Trailers: http://bit.ly/1u43jDe Pop-Up Trailers: http://bit.ly/1z7EtZR Movie News: http://bit.ly/1C3Ncd2 Movie Games: http://bit.ly/1ygDV13 Fandango: http://bit.ly/1Bl79ye Fandango FrontRunners: http://bit.ly/1CggQfC HIT US UP: Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1y8M8ax Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmt Pinterest: http://bit.ly/14wL9De Tumblr: http://bit.ly/1vUwhH72011-11-23T08:58:04Z

Wiedlin had a mediocre solo career, charting one hit in the top 10 in 1988 called “Rush Hour.” She also dabbled in acting, appearing in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Clue, Sleeping Beauty, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and MTV’s Spyder Games. She also did quite a lot of voice acting, including The New Batman Adventures, Mission Hill, Hex Girls, and Scooby-Doo.

Wiedlin has been married twice, to Ged Malone from 1987 to 1999 and to David Trotter from 2004 to 2005. She does not have children.

In a 2011 interview with The Advocate, Wiedlin said the lesbian rumors about the Go-Go’s never bothered her because she has always identified as bisexual.

“I’ve always been on record as considering myself bisexual, so for me, in my mind, it wasn’t really a rumor. If you’ve had sex with multiple women and multiple men, I’d say that makes you bisexual, right? So those rumors never bothered me,” said Wiedlin.

Charlotte Caffey

The Graces – Lay Down Your Arms (Music Video) (featuring Charlotte Caffey of the Go-Go’s)For more Go-Go’s: Prime Time (Promo Videos 1981-2010): http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=430D504FCBD8712C or check out my blog at http://grrlbandgeek.blogspot.com/ The Graces – Lay Down Your Arms. Official music video for “Lay Down Your Arms” by The Graces, which featured Go-Go’s guitarist Charlotte Caffey on lead vocals, pre-“I’m A Bitch” singer Meredith Brooks on guitar, as well as vocalist Gia Ciambotti. This song was the first single from the debut LP “Perfect View” and hit #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989. Subsequent singles from the album failed to chart and the band was dropped from their record deal in 1991, at which point Meredith Brooks left to pursue a solo career. She was replaced by former House Of Schock member Chrissy Shefts, but just as they were about to be signed to a new record deal in 1992, Gia Ciambotti was offered a job in Bruce Springsteen’s band and the group officially called it quits. Caffey formed another group in the mid-nineties called ‘Astrid’s Mother’ (her daughter Astrid had been born in 1995) but the band proved to be short-lived. Since then, she has spent most of her time being a full-time mom as well as co-writing songs with/for other artists including Hole, the Murmurs and Keith Urban (who scored a number one country hit with a Caffey/Wiedlin co-written song “But For The Grace Of God). She also started her own record label with sister-in-law Anna Waronker (formerly of Los Angeles band That Dog) called Five Foot Two Records, which has put out new recordings from Waronker and The Muffs, as well as re-issued the classic “Neurotica” album by husband Jeff McDonald’s band Redd Kross. She continues to work with a reunited Go-Go’s, co-writing much of the 2001 album ‘God Bless The Go-Go’s’ and performing live with the band annually. Caffey and Waronker also composed the music for “Lovelace – A Rock Opera”, a musical based on the life of porn star Linda ‘Deep Throat’ Lovelace which premiered in Los Angeles at the Hayworth Theatre in late 2008. In 1993, Go-Go bandmate Belinda Carlisle covered this song on her album “Real”, which was co-produced by Caffey. The Carlisle version had minor success in the U.K. and Europe, but failed to make a dent in the U.S. charts, making this version, the original Graces recording, the best known in the States. For more info, check out http://grrlbandgeek.blogspot.com/2010/06/graces-perfect-view-lp-bonus-tracks.html2010-01-25T12:28:29Z

After her time in the Go-Go’s in the 1980s, Caffey formed a band with Meredith Brooks and Gia Ciambotti called The Graces. She also co-wrote Keith Urban’s hit “But For the Grace of God” and played piano on Jewel’s “Foolish Games” album recording. Then in 2008, Caffey wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the musical Lovelace: A Rock Musical,” based on the life of porn star Linda Lovelace.

She is married to Jeff McDonald, the co-founder of the band Redd Kross. McDonald and Caffey also played together in a band called Ze Malibu Kids with McDonald’s brother Steven and Steven’s wife Anna Waronker. McDonald and Caffey have a daughter named Astrid, who was born in 1995.

Kathy Valentine

Losin My Man – The Bluebonnets -July 27, 2010 – Kathy ValentineClosing song from The Bluebonnets set at The Continental Club in Austin, July 27, 2010. KV on guitar, Dominique on vocals and bass, Clem Burke on drums, Eve on guitar. Recorded on July 27, 2010 using a Flip Video camcorder.2010-08-02T03:18:58Z

After the Go-Go’s broke up the first time, Valentine was in two different bands, the BlueBonnets, and the Delphines. In between Go-Go’s reunions, she also released a solo album called Light Years.

Valentine was married to musician Steven Weisburd from 2002 to 2012. They have one daughter, Audrey, who was born in 2002.

Gina Schock

House Of Schock – Middle Of Nowhere (Video)For more Go-Go’s: Prime Time (Promo Videos 1981-2010): http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=430D504FCBD8712C or check out my blog at http://grrlbandgeek.blogspot.com/ House Of Schock – Middle Of Nowhere. First and only video from Go-Go’s drummer Gina Schock’s solo project/band House Of Schock and their self-titled debut album (Capitol Records, 1988).2010-01-25T12:35:24Z

In 1988, Schock released a self-titled album. She also had songs on the soundtracks for Bull Durham, The Accused, Superstar, Deadly Little Secrets, and Crooked Arrows. More recently, she has been co-writing songs for some of the biggest names in pop music, including Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez.

As far as her personal life goes, Schock is notoriously private. There have been rumors over the years linking her to actresses Sara Gilbert and Jodie Foster, but those are unsubstantiated. Schock herself has never gone on record about her personal life.

Margot Olavarria

Brian Brain – “Fun With Music” (Part 1)From “Fun With Music” EP. Written By: Martin Atkins Label: Plaid Records. 1986. Martin Atkins: Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Keyboards [Casio] Margot Olavarria: Vocals, Bass Guitar, Percussion Geoff Smyth: Vocals, Guitar, Percussion, Keyboards Bobby Surgeoner: Vocals, Guitar, Xylophone, Percussion2015-02-20T05:56:21Z

In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Olavarria said the band used her arrest for buying cocaine as an excuse to kick her out, though the real reason was that they needed a more pop-friendly sound.

“I found out I’d been kicked out of the band from my good friend Exene Cervenka, from X. The Go-Go’s wanted someone with more pop song capability, and the desire to succeed, pretty much at any cost. There was a lack of integrity on their part, and the part of their manager, and their lawyers, who I also sued. I was already in a better band — Brian Brain. The lawsuit took three years,” said Olavarria. “It’s sad that they played the drug card to explain why they kicked me out [Olavarria had been arrested for buying cocaine]. I find that so ridiculous. I was an outrageous party girl, I really was, but the others, in many ways, were way worse. And all of them continued in the drug world.”

She went on to say that she wasn’t “bitter” about the break-up anymore because it was a long time ago.

“I’m not bitter, because it’s been such a long time, but I have no friendly feelings towards any of them. It’s tedious and boring for me to talk about; I was in Brian Brain, which was a better band, for so much longer, but nobody’s calling to interview me about that.”

As for Olavarria’s personal life, she was married to guitarist Geoff Smyth, who was also a member of Brian Brain.

The Go-Go’s documentary is out now on Showtime.