B-52s

“Rock Lobster,” “Planet Claire,” “Private Idaho” — who turned Athens, Ga., into a dance-crazy party scene as the ’70s segued into the MTV ’80s? It wasn’t R.E.M. It was the impossibly high-haired chicks and retro-geeky guys in the B-52’s, so named because of those beehive bomber ’dos worn by singers Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. They made up for their lack of early musical finesse with campiness and an unhinged sense of humor, and turned out nonsensical, surf-meets-new-wave rave-ups that were all about fun. (The book, Party Out of Bounds, is named after a cut on their Wild Planet album.) Until Cindy’s brother, guitarist Ricky Wilson, died of AIDS in 1985, that is. The girls and bandmates Fred Schneider and Keith Strickland eventually bounced back with 1989’s Cosmic Thing, which gave them their biggest hits, “Love Shack” and “Roam.” It was followed by Good Stuff in 1992, and then it took 16 years for them to release their next studio album, 2008’s Funplex. But they’ve kept their touring chops sharp, and they’ll still “Dance This Mess Around” like nobody’s business. (Excerpt from: http://2009.aclfestival.com/band/the-b-52s) Also see: http://texasmusicmatters.kut.org/2009/10/12/acl-09-photos-b-52s/