The Members of The Go-Go’s Then and Now: Catch Up With the Trailblazing ’80s Rockers
They've still got the beat!
The Go-Go’s emerged from the LA punk scene and became one of the most beloved and influential bands of the ’80s. Their mix of style, sass and unforgettably catchy songs made them stars, and with their 1981 debut album, Beauty and the Beat, they became the first all-female rock band to top the Billboard charts — an incredible achievement that still resonates.
The band’s hit songs like “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation” and “Head Over Heels,” remain pure pop-rock perfection decades after they were first released, and the fact that the Go-Go’s wrote their own songs, played their own instruments and projected an energy that was simultaneously feminine and tough had an impact on countless women, proving that rock bands weren’t just for the guys.
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During the ’80s, the Go-Go’s released three albums: Beauty and the Beat, Vacation (1982) and Talk Show (1984), but they broke up in 1985, due to the band’s struggles with drugs and interpersonal creative conflicts. In the ’90s and ’00s, they reunited and toured, and they released their final album to date, God Bless the Go-Go’s, in 2001 and continued to play shows. In 2020, they were the subject of a documentary, and in 2021, the members of the Go-Go’s were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They called it quits again shortly after getting back in the spotlight.
The Go-Go’s are undoubtedly one of the greatest bands of the ’80s, and their signature songs are girl-power gems we can’t help but sing along with.
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The members of the Go-Go’s
Over 40 years after the band burst onto the charts and changed music forever, here’s a look at what the members of the Go-Go’s are doing now.
Read on for more ’80s favorites!
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Carlisle was the frontwoman of the Go-Go’s, singing all the band’s songs with her signature spunkiness. After the band broke up, she released her debut solo album in 1986, and would go on to release seven more. While many people who become famous as part of a band struggle to find the same level of success when they go solo, Carlisle enjoyed continued exposure with late ’80s hits like “Mad About You,” “I Get Weak,” “Circle in the Sand,” “Leave a Light On” and “Heaven Is a Place on Earth.”
While Carlisle seemed to be on top of the world in the ’80s, she faced personal struggles, battling drug addiction and an eating disorder for many years. Thankfully, she’s been sober since 2005. In 2011, she published a memoir detailing her experiences with the highs and lows of stardom, Lips Unsealed.
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In her albums since the ’00s, Carlisle has gotten experimental. In 2007, she released Voila, a collection of covers of French songs, and her last full-length album, Wilder Shores, from 2017, is a series of Sikh chants performed in Punjabi. The album arose from her commitment to practicing Kundalini Yoga and Buddhism.
Now 65, Carlisle has been married to Morgan Mason, the son of legendary British actor James Mason, since 1986. They have a grown son and currently live a quiet life in Mexico City. In 2023, she released a new EP, Kismet, that’s a return to the kinds of catchy songs she’s most known for.
Jane Wiedlin
Jane Wiedlin was the rhythm guitarist for the Go-Go’s. She’s released four solo albums. Her first came out in 1985, and her last came out in 2000. While her solo work didn’t get as big as Belinda Carlisle’s, she’s still had an eclectic, successful career since the band broke up.
Wiedlin started a new band, froSTed, which released one album in 1996. In 2017, she teamed up with musician Pietro Straccia to form a duo, Elettrodomestico. They have a new album coming out in May 2024.
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Outside of music, Wiedlin has acted in movies like Clue (1985), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989). She’s continued to appear in various indie movies and TV shows since then, and she’s also contributed voiceover work to a variety of cartoons. In 2005, she was in the VH1 reality show The Surreal Life.
Now 65, Wiedlin married Terence Lundy, the founder of an addiction recovery company, in 2023. With new music coming soon and a new marriage, it’s safe to say she’s been keeping busy!
Charlotte Caffey
Charlotte Caffey was the lead guitarist and keyboardist for the Go-Go’s. She started a new band, the Graces, in 1988, but they broke up in 1992. While she hasn’t had a solo career, she’s continued to collaborate with a variety of artists, including Jewel and Keith Urban.
In the ’00s Caffey and fellow musician Anna Waronker wrote Lovelace: A Rock Musical, a musical inspired by the life of porn star-turned-advocate Linda Lovelace. The show debuted in 2008 and received positive reviews.
Sadly, Caffey has long struggled with chronic pain due to carpal tunnel syndrome and no longer performs live. Now 70, she’s married to Jeff McDonald of the band Redd Kross. They have a daughter, Astrid McDonald, and in the ’00s, they had a family band, Ze Malibu Kids. Astrid has followed in her mom’s footsteps, and now has a band of her own, the Side Eyes.
Gina Schock
Gina Schock was the drummer for the Go-Go’s. After they broke up, she formed a new band, House of Schock, which released one album in 1988. In 1997, she joined the Dephines, a band formed by fellow former Go-Go Kathy Valentine. In the ’00s, Schock wrote songs for pop stars like Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Selena Gomez.
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Now 66, Schock released a book gathering photos, memorabilia and recollections of the Go-Go’s, Made In Hollywood: All Access with the Go-Go’s, in 2021. In recent years, she stepped out of the spotlight to care for her ailing parents before they passed away, and she currently makes frequent appearances at conventions and fan events.
Kathy Valentine
Kathy Valentine was the bassist for the Go-Go’s. In 1992, she got into a new musical genre when she formed the blues-based band the BlueBonnets. By 1995, the band had transitioned into a new group, the Delphines, which released two albums.
In 2005, Valentine released her first and only solo album, Light Years, and in 2010 the BlueBonnets got back together. Her memoir, All I Ever Wanted, came out in 2020. She and her ex-husband were partners in the Townsend, a bar and performance venue in her native Austin, from 2016 to 2020.
Now 65, Valentine frequently acts as a spokeswoman for various brands, does public speaking engagements, writes for music sites, leads workshops and more. You can even hire her to write a song for you!
