Not sure how many fans here......

[davismanLV]

But I love the B-52's!! Saw them live at Mandalay Bay here in Vegas and they're KILLER!! Great band in my book.....

 

[Rebosbro]

I feel you Tom! Just a fun band! Very unique sound. Did a lot of free form in the studio. That’s where “Tin roof…..Rusted” on Love Shack came from, everyone dropped out but Cindy Wilson kept singing. Private Idaho is my favorite song by them
Paul

 

[davismanLV]

Thanks Paul.... that was one of the BEST shows ever!! They performed at the Beach at Mandalay Bay. I worked my day shift at Border Grill and then we had pre-bar somewhere (it's a bit vague) and then went to the beach!! They were amazing!! On the way home (on two beers the whole night with one headlight out) we were treated to some amazingly huge discrimination and harassed WAY beyond what I'd ever thought. It got truly ugly and the roided-out cop and his partner having me splayed out on the trunk of my car with them calling the other cops and calling us all kinds of ugly things and ...... totally abusive!! It was a HORROR!! But we got home and because we weren't breaking any laws, we made it home by cab. Then picked the car up the next day (under threat of retribution) and I actually wondered if I'd made the most horrible decision moving here. But.... you shoulder forward and .... it was a GREAT concert!!

 

[walrus]

Love the B-52's! Heavy play when I worked at record store when their first album came out! Such a unique sound at the time, and they seemed to be having so much fun!


walrus

 

[jp]

Love the B-52s, Tom! They were and are still an integral part of the soundtrack for my generation. Never got to see them, because they were playing big places already, and I liked small club shows better. I would have loved to have seen them in the early Athens, GA clubs.

On the other note . . . I feel for you about the harassment. So sorry, and good for you for sticking it out!

 

[GGJaguar]

Fun group and they got tons of airplay when I was in college.

 

[Westerly Wood]

always liked rock lobster.
and their big album in the 90s, so many hit songs on it. i forget what it was called so many radio hits.

the women have such great harmonies.

i heard a story that Michael Stipe of REM went to one of their shows (probably that big 90s album tour) and after the show, he went up to one of the girls and asked her to do a song with REM. Shiny Happy People...

I think both B52s and REM came out of Athens, Georgia, with the 52s a pre-cursor by several years.


...after reading the wiki, I am way off re the years of that big album. It was 1989 Cosmic Thing. Roam was such a rocking tune. I liked Deadbeat Club too.

 

[Rambozo96]

I remember when me and a friend made a spaghetti western version of Rock Lobster. Ricky Wilson had a thing for weird tunings and omitting strings.

 

[HeyMikey]

Loved the B-52s. I saw them twice in the late 70’s at club in NH on the waterfront. Only half packed and just feet from the band. It was wild. What a fun band.

This link talks a bit about Ricky’s guitars and tunings which were a huge part of their sound.

Ricky Wilson (B-52's) | Equipboard

Ricky Wilson (B-52's)'s gear and equipment including the Yamaha SF1000 Super Flighter Blonde and 64's Silvertone 1448. Get the gear to sound like Ricky Wilson (B-52's) and get their tone.

equipboard.com

 

[walrus]

Great link! This line blew my mind:

"Ricky's unorthodox approach to the guitar is evidenced by the missing strings. Ricky strung his guitars with either four or five extra thick strings instead of the usual six and he also devised a different tuning for almost every song the band created."

walrus

 

[Guildguy1965]

But I love the B-52's!! Saw them live at Mandalay Bay here in Vegas and they're KILLER!! Great band in my book.....

I remember my brother telling me about them and that was back in 1979. I’m an old Country and classic rock guy. I do like they’re early stuff along with the band The Cars.