Watch Then & Now: The Go-Go's
- 2018
- 10 hr
Then & Now: The Go-Go's is a documentary film that explores the iconic all-female band's rise to fame in the 1980s and their continued impact on the music industry today. The film interweaves behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with the band members and music industry insiders, and archival footage to tell the story of the Go-Go's.
At the heart of the film are the five women who made up the original lineup of the Go-Go's: Belinda Carlisle (vocals), Jane Wiedlin (guitar), Charlotte Caffey (guitar and keyboards), Kathy Valentine (bass), and Gina Schock (drums). These women revolutionized the music industry by refusing to play by the rules, blazing a trail for countless other female musicians to follow.
The film takes us back to the early days of the Go-Go's, when the band members met in the Los Angeles punk scene and bonded over their shared love of music. With no formal training, the band members taught themselves to play their instruments and began writing songs that spoke to the young, rebellious women of their generation.
Then & Now: The Go-Go's also explores the band's meteoric rise to fame, from their early gigs in small clubs to their breakout success with the hit songs "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed." The Go-Go's became a household name, earning legions of fans around the world and making history as the first all-female band to write their own songs, play their own instruments, and top the charts.
But with fame came challenges. The band members struggled with addiction, infighting, and the pressure to maintain their image as carefree party girls. As the band's popularity waned in the late 1980s, the Go-Go's disbanded, but their legacy lived on.
Then & Now: The Go-Go's delves into the band members' personal lives and their journeys after the band's breakup, including their solo careers and their struggles to overcome addiction and find their place in the world outside of the Go-Go's. The film also celebrates the band's enduring influence on music, fashion, and popular culture, featuring interviews with fellow musicians like Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino, and Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna.
Throughout the film, the Go-Go's remain as defiant and inspiring as ever, challenging stereotypes and proving that women can rock just as hard as men. Then & Now: The Go-Go's is a tribute to the power of music and the indelible mark that the Go-Go's have left on the world.