The B-52's: their legacy/influence today

They've got a B-52's affection. It's too bad they're too incompetent to do anything nice with it.

(LOL: I made my brother a comp of !!!, and he thought they sounded like Nitzer Ebb.)

Bobby O once wrote/produced a track called "Just A Gigolo" under the guise Barbie & The Kens, and it was pretty much his attempt to emulate "Private Idaho" as close he could. It's hilarious.

Fucking hallelujah

What do they do with guitar tunings?

An interesting notion on many levels.

a) an earlier Ru Paul being in the video
b) "TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN ROOF!.... rusted"

The latter will be one of the most "WTF but whatever" pop song moments in history.

This is all conjecture here, but right around the time The B-52s and Byrne were working together, the Tom Tom Club released their first album, and "Genius Of Love" became a *smash* hit. It's possible that Byrne may have had something to do with the ideas that went into the first Tom Tom Club album, but I'm not sure. I'll let the Talking Heads/Stop Making Sense connoiseurs speak up about the relationship between Tina and David at the time. Maybe it was always contentious, but I'm not sure it was that disjunct in 1981.

In any case, it seemed like Byrne produced the Mesopotamia EP trying to use the B-52s has his own take on the Tom Tom Club, because.. well, let's just say that the first mix was a highly sparse, disco-ey, dubbed out, complete Arthur Russell-esque affair, that sounded like it was sampling the B-52's moreso than actually being the B-52's. For some reason, a few copies of this initial mix "accidentally" went to press and was recalled immediately.

I was thoroughly confused, because I happened upon a vinyl copy of this in a record store for $5, and I only payed that much for it only because it was in great condition... otherwise, you can find it for 99 cents easily just about anywhere in the U.S. in any used vinyl bin. When I listened to it, it was completely different than then 1990 CD-reissue remix that was released on the Party Mix/Mesopotamia two-fer CD. The original mix sounds like Byrne trying to make the B-52s some arty dance project...

Now I'm hardly a Byrne apologist. Recent quotes from the man rub me the wrong way almost all of the time, but I have to give major props to the brilliance of this EP, though out of context. It's a terrible B-52s release/mix, but a brilliant David Byrne dancey side-release, if that makes sense. Anyway, I later found out I lucked out in that my vinyl copy of Mesopotamia was an Island pressing in Greece, and the record store had no idea what they had stocked and price.

Later, I'd pick up a mint copy of the very abundant Warner Brothers U.S. version of the EP for a buck, and realize that it was later remixed to be less dubbed out and dancey and more B-52s sounding. Even then, the mix is kinda weird.

In the mid to late 80s, Island UK re-released Mesopotamia as it's own CD with this second "fixed" mix from back in the day.

In 1990, the band went back and decided to finally remix it again, and actually made it sounds pretty damn great. This is the version you can buy today as the Party Mix/Mesopotamia.

While the "approved" "original" mix suffers in comparison to the 1990 remix/remaster, there are a few elements in some songs that are put higher in the mix that enhance certain songs, like the synth parts in "Loveland". However, the most recent mix certainly improve "Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can" and the title track.

So, that's the long version of the story.

It's too bad there doesn't seem to be a dedicated B-52s biography of some sort. I have almost as much interest in the genesis of Mesopotamia as I do with the Beach Boys' Smile -- and I'd love to learn more about what the hell happened with this EP.

I strongly disagree. While I never want to hear "Love Shack" again, there are so many great songs on Cosmic Thing: the title track, "Roam," "Deadbeat Club," "Junebug," etc.

"leagacy/influence" a blind alley though

And no, I'm not a member of The VCs.

also, re: Love Shack, as a kid I'd hear it on the radio and thought she was saying "Ten months... pregnant!"

That's the best misinterpretation I've ever heard!

TR: What is it that you say in "Love Shack?"

CW: Tin roof rusted!

TR: What is that?

CW: It's just a description of the Love Shack, just nonsense that I made up when we were jamming, and the rest of the band thought it was so funny, we stuck it in there. Actually, in the South, they have metal roofs that tend to rust.

-from a 1989 B-52's interview with Tom Rubnitz

..at this point, the line between a B-52s influence and a Yoko Ono influence becomes blurry.

Too harsh on Whammy! More that half of it is excellent, fun jams.

Where would you place Mesopotamia & Party Mix if they were separated? To me Mesopotamia is one of their best, Party Mix a bit of a drag.

SUR-PRIIIIIIIZE

^that's one of my all-time favorite album openings.

slide ct down to 4, move whammy up to 5 and i'm good, but i just can't accept cosmic thing at 1 or 2 or 3. i do like the props to strickland and that's persuasive enough to get me to listen and think again to ct.

^everything OTM

Cosmic Thing is a great, great record, but the debut was a defining moment in my life. And I love Whammy, drum machines and all. I'd probably go debut, Wild Planet, Cosmic Thing, Whammy, and then the rest jockeying around.

realized I no longer own a copy of Cosmic Thing (I had it on cassette and never re-bought it cuz it was everywhere for awhile) and yet grabbed all the pre-CT stuff on vinyl for a couple bucks apiece way back when. such a great discography.

To be clear, I dislike the dull manner in which Wilson and Strickland program the drum machines, not the use of drum machines.

No I get that. They *are* kind of brittle and chirpy and Casio-like, but I dig 'em. I'm listening to the album today for the first time in a long while.

whammy rules

Wow, I was about to link Shakey to this, but screw that. What the actual fuck, though? I bought that thing brand new at Barnes + Noble like two or three years ago for $7.99. No idea why it's gotten so expensive in the interim.

Often when things become unavailable, scarcity drives up price.

That's the line I use on OKCupid.

Is it really that scarce, though? I mean, it's less than ten years old!

Things can be scarce the second they’re released, if there are few of them and any demand exists. That release is out of print, and one single customer decided $46 was a price he was willing to pay one single seller that was asking it. These are the facts we have, do with them what you will!

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAART-Y!

SUR-PRIIIIIIIZE

― The Silky Veils of Alfred (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, September 26, 2018 11:37 AM (ten hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^that's one of my all-time favorite album openings.

― how's life, Wednesday, September 26, 2018 11:44 AM (ten hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I used to date a big B-52's fan who had a bunch of their albums running in her CD changer, and this intro had a knack for popping up awkwardly during intimate moments.

Nothing against the B-52’s, but I can’t imagine “getting intimate” to any part of any their songs!

Re: The David Byrne mix of "Mesopotamia" discussion from 12 years back, the UK vinyl Byrne mix has longer versions of 3 tracks:

8:33 vs. 5:00 - Loveland
7:45 vs. 5:48 - Cake
5:46 vs. 4:30 - Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can

I used to date a big B-52's fan who had a bunch of their albums running in her CD changer, and this intro had a knack for popping up awkwardly during intimate moments.

― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles),

I imagine Schneider breaking through the door like the Kool-Aid guy, holding a dead cat.

thread delivers

I don't know about 'getting intimate', but come on, 'WHERE'S MY TELEPHONE?!'

so since we were talking about doing the sex to B52s - there is a sex scene in the 1990 volleyball movie Sideout scored to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmQYJRNG5bM

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-b-52s-the-b-52s/

The rains have stopped, the stream out back is rushing past the cabin, and Kate Pierson is on my deck filming and calling the wild turkeys, who are gathered under the trees being courted… https://t.co/1OqqTfzbL6

— Laura Levine (@LauraLevinePix) April 20, 2019

dis is good
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/07/15/arts/music/b52s-influences-playlist.html

Yeah that is good fun. But no room for Lou Christie & the Tammys?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g0LwVgTiVA

Whiney did that NY Times thing

Good history of the band and their lasting influence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN1quwTNPLo

And that Whiney article from 2019 could very well have been the inspiration for this video

ah THIS is the thread where donut talked about the Mesopotamia mixes

GIIIRL
FROM
IPA-NEEE-MAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Seeing them perform "Rock Lobster" on Saturday Night Love in 1980 changed my tastes forever.

you and Dave Grohl apparently

You can probably trace back a lot of the '90s Alternative explosion to the SNL S5 appearances of Bowie, Gary Numan, The B-52's and The Specials

I'd add the Devo appearance on Fridays from 80' too.

I also remember seeing Gary Numan perform on NBC's The Today Show in 1980 and he told Jane Pauley or whoever it was that he was more comfortable around machines than people. Wonder how many other kids caught that before leaving for school.

Never saw that one, it was probably pretty weird scene.

I'd add the Devo appearance on Fridays from 80' too.

...and they were on SNL in S4! But yeah, those Fridays appearances certainly sealed the deal.

Fridays was a pretty terrible show, except for the bands. But yeah, seeing Devo in 1978 at not even 12 years old was absolutely life changing stuff. Another "shot heard 'round the world", so to speak ime

"ah THIS is the thread where donut talked about the Mesopotamia mixes"

This bamboozled me as well - I used to have an MP3 copy of "Cake" that sounded unlike any other mix. After a bit of digging I found out that this is the original, David Byrne version, which has some really bad handclaps near the beginning and only appeared on the UK vinyl release:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVj2SljqTwY

This is the remix that appeared on most copies of the album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot-z-FJVF9k

And this is the version that was released on the Party Mix / Mesopotamia CD in 1990, which is basically the same idea but with more tinkering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlI7FzN8Pcw

e.g. the saxophones at 01:00 are buried in chorus and reverb, which is good because the B-52s should not have saxophones. Do not like.

Sadly from a UK point of view there was never a British TV equivalent of those TV performances - e.g. we never had the B-52s or Devo appearing on Morecambe and Wise circa 1979, electrifying the nation - and yet Devo at least were embraced by the UK indie scene for a while, so perhaps it's just a quirk of fate that The B-52s didn't have the same reception.

The Party Mix is the superior version obv.

that's the one I still need to track down, I have the two earlier versions

Has any official word come down about what version of Mesopotamia will be on the upcoming albums box? The Amazon page uses a parenthetical PARTY MIX ALBUM VERSION in their tracklisting for the CD edition.

And that Whiney article from 2019 could very well have been the inspiration for this video

Inspiration is a gentle way of putting it! Parts of the last third of the video are pretty much verbatim.

The B52s clearly inspired the students at the Sam Houston High School, judging by their 1980 cover of 'Dance This Mess Around'. Great energy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq3M244EGKs

fantastic!!

That just made my morning, thanks!

Also thanks to Michael F Gill 19 years after the fact for mentioning Barbi and the Kens, which I just looked up this morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg2dRpRxV0k

Touring with Devo!