1981 Beauty and the Beat

In April 1981, with a record contract in hand, the Go-Gos go to New York City to record their first l.p. Beauty and the Beat.

In New York City the girls stayed at the Wellington Hotel located at 871 7th Avenue, NYC.

The Go-Go's went into the studio with producers Rob Freeman (of Blondie production fame) and Richard Gottehrer. Gottehrer had experience as a pop song writer - a la '60's song My Boyfriend's Back (The Angels) and Blondie in the late '70's.

First Go-Go's 7" Singles

On June 12, 1981 - Our Lips Are Sealed was the first Go-Go single to be released. It reached #20 on Billboard charts week of August 29, 1981.

Format: Vinyl, 7", Single
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave,, Pop Rock

Track listing:
A Our Lips Are Sealed (2:44)
Written by - J. Wiedlin, T. Hall
B Surfing And Spying (1:50)
Written by - C. Caffey

US Release

Netherlands release: on Illegal Records (Netherlands)


UK Release (Our Lips Are Sealed/We Got The Beat)

Then came the LP! -

Beauty and the Beat - Released July 7, 1981

Tracklisting:
A1 Our Lips Are Sealed (2:45)
A2 How Much More (3:03)
A3 Tonight (3:33)
A4 Lust To Love (4:00)
A5 This Town (3:15)
B1 We Got The Beat (2:36)
B2 Fading Fast (3:32)
B3 Automatic (2:34)
B4 You Can;t Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep (3:00)
B5 Skid marks On My Heart (3:13)
B6 Can't Stop The World (3:22)

Beauty and the Beat LP production credits:

• Producers: Rob Freeman, Richard Gottehrer
• Engineers: Rob Freeman
• Assistant engineers: James A. Ball, Ted Blechta, Darroll Gustamachio, Gray Russell, John Terelle
• Mixing: Rob Freeman
• Mixing assistants: James A. Ball, Stuart Furusho, David Leonard
• Remixing: Doug Schwartz
• Mastering: Greg Calbi
• Art direction: Ginger Canzoneri, Mike Doud, Mick Haggerty, Vartan
• Design: Mike Fink, Mick Haggerty
• Photography: George DuBose, Mick Haggerty, Cindy Marsh
• Illustrations: Cindy Marsh

Photographer George Dubose shot the band in the bathtub in their hotel and them again in his studio. This photo was the cover of The Go-Gos 'Beauty and the Beat.

Beauty and the Beat was released on July 7, 1981. There were two different covers (pink and blue).

1981 photo: George Dubose

Beauty and the Beat album photos:

We Got The Beat

LABEL: I.R.S.
Format: Vinyl, 7", Single
Country: US
Released: December 15, 1981
Genre: Pop Rock
Style: Punk, Pop Rock
Credits: Artwork By - timothy Eames
Management: Ginger Canzoneri
Photography - Chris Cramer
Producer - Richard Gottehrer, Rob Freeemen
Recorded by _Rob Freeman

Tracklistling:
A)      We Got The Beat (2:30)
Written By C. Caffey

B)      Can't Stop The World (3:22)
Written by Kathy Valentine

I.R.S. Note - I.R.S. Records emergence was perfect for a new television channel, MTV. The label had always pursued innovative marketing strategies and it jumped at music videos from the outset. Nearly all of the artists who recorded for I.R.S. were captured in music videos. I.R.S. created both promotional and commercial videos. The earliest commercial video was "Totally Go-Go's" filmed in December 1981 during a concert to support their first album. Other concert videos to be released by I.R.S. were Police Around the World in 1983 and Prime Time Go-Go's in 1985. Best of I.R.S. Video a compilation tape of ten videos by ten artists was released in 1984. Among the earliest promotional videos were The Go-Go's Vacation and The English Beat's Save It for Later, both in 1982. link: On A&M Records

In 1981, I.R.S. had its first RIAA gold certification with The Go-Go's Beauty and the Beat album. The Go-Go's claim the distinction of being the first all-female band to have a #1 album on the Billboard Pop Chart. In 1981, they also had a Top 10 and Top 20 single on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. Artists The Fleshtones, Renaissance and Wall of Voodoo each had a Billboard Pop 200 album.

However - in 1981, I.R.S. was confronted with legal disputes brought by The Cramps and The Go-Go's.

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