Schock shares, “I truly had no idea that I was to become the Go-Go’s archivist. I’ve always loved photography, so taking photos of the band was a natural process. When you check out this book, I hope you feel like you were right there with me over the last 40 years. From Baltimore to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, what a trip this has been. I am thrilled to finally share my personal collection with everyone.” Much more than your typical coffee table book, Made In Hollywood: All Access with the Go-Go’s celebrates the band’s beginnings, rise to fame and all the ins and outs of what that means both with amazing photos and commentary from Schock and a variety of other luminaries. The book features a poignant and well thought out foreword by Go-Go’s bass player, and friend, Kathy Valentine who refers to Gina’s perch on the drum stool as a “throne.” Kathy laments that as the drummer, Gina had a bird’s-eye view of not only the entire band and crew, but a unique look at the audience each night. And Gina, as the drummer, was the “ruler of the band,” the one who dictates the direction of each song, sped up or slowed down. As Kathy says, “You best follow along…The drummer, if it’s Gina Schock, also gives the songs identifiable hooks—instantly recognizable, the heartbeat and life-force of a track.” The band’s celebrated vocalist, Belinda Carlisle comments in the book, “None of us had any money. I would cash my checks and put all my money in a Barbie thermos…While we were performing, I never left the Barbie thermos in the dressing room. I would bring it onstage with me and put it in Gina’s kick drum…I wouldn’t let it out of my sight because all the money I had in the world was in there, and it was usually around a hundred dollars…At the end of the night, everybody went home with whomever. I always went home with Barbie.” The Go-Go’s debut album, Beauty and the Beat, rose to the top of the charts in 1981, staying at No. 1 on the Billboard charts for six consecutive weeks, spawning the hits “Our Lips Are Sealed” (named one of Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Pop Singles) and “We Got The Beat” and earning them a Grammy nomination for “Best New Artist.” Their 1982 follow-up, Vacation, hit Top Ten on the Billboard 200 and featured the Top Ten title track “Vacation.” Together the band toured the world over; from tiny clubs to sold-out arenas with legendary tour-mates like; The Police, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The B-52s, INXS and so many other great artists. They have sold over 7 million records worldwide and have the notable distinction of being the only all-female band to write their own songs and play their own instruments on a No. 1 album. Last year, their Critics Choice Award-winning Showtime documentary, The Go-Go’s, was released to fan and critical acclaim, and this October the quintet will celebrate their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside Tina Turner, Carole King, JAY-Z, Foo Fighters and Todd Rundgren on Oct. 30. They will continue the celebration with a handful of west coast shows in December and January. Find out more here. Next, do people who are tone-deaf hear music differently?
