Beauty & The Beat

Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition including 11 bonus tracks over previous edition. The Go-Go's formed in January 1978 in the midst of LA's punk scene, the line-up eventually coalescing in 1980 with the talents of Belinda Carlisle (lead vocals), Charlotte Caffey (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Jane Wiedlin (guitars, vocals), Kathy Valentine (bass, vocals) and Gina Schock (drums, percussion). Signed to Miles Copeland's IRS label, their debut album was produced in New York by Richard Gottehrer (fresh from producing Blondie) and Rob Freeman. It was released in July 1981, reached # 1 on the Billboard album chart and sold two million copies in the US alone. It includes the hits Our Lips Are Sealed (co-written with The Specials'/Fun Boy Three's Terry Hall), Automatic and the band's anthem We Got The Beat. Edsel's deluxe digipak reissue takes us back to rehearsals in February 1979 and January 1980 and a concert in August 1979, along with b-sides and demos. The bonus disc is a full-length concert recorded in Boston in August 1981, a month after the release of the album. For the comprehensive note, Paul Myers has newly interviewed Belinda, Charlotte and Jane for the full story of the band's formation, the tours with The Specials, Madness and The Police, and the recording of the album. The booklet also includes lyrics and photos.