Born On This Day- July 1st... Frederick William Schneider lll

It was not just regulation Oregon mist, by the time we got to the venue, a natural amphitheater at the Oregon Zoo, the husband & I were greeted with the heavens opening up & the sheets of wet water drenched the 3800 concertgoers.

The crowd wrapped in plastic or covered with plastic, danced & sang along as the world’s best party band put on a terrific show. The Husband & I found a perfect spot, passed over by others for the lawn or the mosh pit. We stood under a large tree that mostly kept us dry, on a terrace above the majority of the audience. We enjoyed a clear view of the stage with all the umbrellas 10 feet below us.

In 1979, The Husband & I used to dance until closing, at Spokane’s only gay bar. When the B-52s were played we would sing along & dance with extra ardor. I have never stopped listening to this fun band in 33 years of dancing.

When the B-52s finished an extended version of Rock Lobster, their final encore, the rain stopped in an instant, of course.

We were invited backstage. Band member- Keith Strickland, who is my age, is super cute, lean & charming. He appears to be 2 decades younger.  

Fred Schneider was enigmatic yet charismatic. He was just a week shy of his 61^st birthday.

Schneider has released 2 solo albums, but neither of these albums were as successful as any of the albums created by The B-52's.

He is known for his quirky sprechgesang & distinctive swish. The B-52's were formed by Cindy Wilson & my good close personal friend- Kate Pierson with drummer Keith Strickland, guitarist Ricky Wilson (Cindy's older brother) & vocalist Schneider after a drunken night at a Chinese restaurant.

Late 1970s & through the mid-1980s, several nights a week were spent on the dance floor. I loved swallowing a Quaalude & dancing to the combination of dance & surf music of The B-52s. The band made a real impression with their singles Rock Lobster, Private Idaho& Planet Claire from their debut album in 1979. Wild Planetfollowed in 1980, followed by Whammy!in 1983.

In October 1985, the band members were devastated by the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson, from what was originally reported to be cancer, but was later revealed to be AIDS. The band's album Bouncing Off The Satellites (1986) was not a success, & the band went into hiatus. The B-52's returned in 1989 with the album Cosmic Thing, their biggest success, giving us the international hit- Love Shack.

Original members Schneider, Kate Pierson & Keith Strickland are all openly gay. Fred Schneider turns 61years old today.

I surmise that Debbie & Fred know each other. I sure would like to have them over for cocktails in the Boy’s Fort. That would be a kicky evening! It is 2012 & this summer Blondie & the B-52s will be playing a handful of shows together. How cool is that?

Here is a shot of me with my good close personal friend, the B-52s’ Kate Pierson. At 64 years old, she is still stunning & sassy & she can still shimmy like no other. It was a special night for the Post Apocalyptic Bohemian. Thank you to my blogger buddy- David of Domani Dave for helping make that memorable evening happen.

Born On This Day- April 17th... B-52's Kate Pierson

The B-52s are commonly known as the "World's Greatest Party Band" & they call themselves "tacky little dance band from Athens, Georgia".

They dared to be different & way out there long before Lady Gaga , & welcomed everyone else who did the same. They were always embraced by The Gays. Decades before Born This Way, the B-52’s had a little ditty-Junebug: "Well, don't you listen to what they say. / We're a little different anyway. / Ain't it the truth, uh huh."

Following drinks at an Athens Chinese restaurant in October 1976, a group of friends formed the B-52s & named themselves after Southern slang for  big bouffant hairdos. The band soon attracted an ardent following, becoming the talk of Athens. They were soon doing gigs at CBGB’s, along with the Ramones, Television, & Blondie.

Their self-titled debut sold more than 500,000 copies with hit singles–Rock Lobster & 52 Girls.35+ years & over 20 million album sales later, the B-52s remain are still going strong, playing a concert at the zoo here in Portland at the Oregon Zoo on the summer solstice. The band’s mix of punk, new wave & vintage rock certainly kept me dancing in the late 1970s & 1980s, & that accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without Ricky Wilson (God rest his soul), Keith Strickland, Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson & Cindy Wilson. The B-52s continue to take their party music revolution into the 21st century, they show no signs of slowing down.

Three members of B-52's quartet are out & proud gay people, including today's birthday gay- Kate Pierson. She continues to give us style, wit, fun & retro-cool with her music.

Pierson has also worked with R.E.M., Iggy Pop, & was one of the members of NiNa, a band that achieved huge success in Japan in the 1990s.

In 2005, Pierson opened a motel- Kate's Lazy Meadow in upstate NY with her partner of 10 years- Monica Coleman. She is looking good & moving hot as she turns an astonishing 64 years old today.

Born On This Day- March 19th... Ricky Wilson

Ricky Helton Wilson died way too young. He sure was a super talented cutie. Ricky Wilson was the original guitarist in the rock band The B-52s, which he helped to form in 1976.






What do they put in the water in Athens, Georgia?


At first The B-52s did not have a bass player, so Ricky invented his own tunings on a guitar, grouping the strings into a bass course. It was quite an original sound. It was a sound that I still continue to really dig. I had some major fun on the dance floor in the late 1970s- early 1980s… courtesy of the B-52s. I still love their surf punk party music.


Wilson died on October 12, 1985, aged 32, from health complications related to AIDS. In an interview, fellow band member Kate Pierson stated that Wilson had kept his illness secret from his fellow band members because he 'did not want anyone to worry about him or fuss over him.


Following his death, fellow B-52s' member Keith Strickland, originally the drummer for The B-52s, learned how to play the guitar in a similar fashion to Wilson.


The B-52s effectively disappeared for a couple of years following their loss, unable to continue without their friend & bandmate & in Cindy Wilson's case, brother, but they eventually put the band together again & wnt on to to achieve mainstream worldwide commercial success. The B52s remain musically active & continue to tour.

Born On This Day- October 26th... Julian Keith Strickland

Keith Strickland: "I don’t know. I toyed with the notion of doing other stuff with other musicians. But I had a moment of clarity: Why not just do this for the B-52’s? Then I kept thinking I had to write in a particular mindset for the B-52’s, which was a mistake. Once I got around that, Funplex flowed more freely. But I still just kept missing deadline after deadline. I guess I’m just not that ambitious."

Keith Strickland is "the cute one" with that "tacky little party band from Athens Georgia"

Originally, Strickland was the band's drummer, but following the 1985 death of Ricky Wilson, the band's guitarist and another founding member, he moved from the drums to guitar. Strickland has also played keyboards on many of the quirky, cutting, dance-a-riffic B-52's recordings, & has sung backup vocals on a handful of songs. Like both other male members of the B-52's - lead singer Fred Schneider & the late Ricky Wilson, Strickland is openly gay. Keith lives with his partner in Woodstock NY, Athens GA, & Key West.

Domani Dave, if you happen upon Mr. Strickland today, give him a big birthday kiss from me.

Birthday Beats... The Lovely Deborah Ann Harry & Frederick W. Schneider III

Debbie & Iggy Pop & their take on Cole Porter from Red, Hot & Blue

"She Came From Planet Claire, I Know She Came From There" I am surprised it is not Cole Porter. I used to dance my ass of to this tune.

Summer 1979, I am living in the historic Browne’s Addition of Spokane. After spending the mid-1970s living in NYC, I have moved back to the city where I grew up, trying to re-group & decide what to do next. I immediately got work in the theatre. I never would have believed when I left Spokane in 1972, right after the day I graduated form high school, but I find myself wanting to a be a big fish in a tiny pond, instead of the tiniest minnow in the very biggest pond & so I return.


I spot this girl in an aisle at the supermarket. She is wearing cat glasses & a leopard skin coat over a tiny black jumper & a skirt of tropical fruit themed oil cloth, paired with cowboy boots. I had only seen this type of female in NYC & certainly not in tried & true, conservative Spokane. I cruised her for a bit, before getting up the nerve. ME: “Excuse me, but I just need to tell you how fabulous your look. You can’t possibly be from Spokane. You are really putting it out there? SHE: “Well, I’m not from here, but I am here now. I know I look fabulous; that’s what I do, & you look like a pud. But, I think I like you sweetie. Wanna come to a party with me?”


I go to this party with my new friend- Kate. There are boys kissing boys, boys kissing girls, girls kissing girls. I drink something handed to me & I smoke something passed to me, I snort something on the coffee table, & I was really loving the music. I was loving the music a great deal. It was my first time hearing Blondie & the song was named- Heart Of Glass & I was crazy for it. I danced for hours.


I bought the album- Parallel Lines with the songs like One Way Or Another & Sunday Girl. I loved Blondie, but I stayed with Debbie Harry after the breakup of Blondie & I have never strayed far away. Rapture was my first rap song. I have had several 1sts with Debbie Harry. I am zany for her solo albums & her work with Jazz Passengers. I love her. She is a goddess to me. Debbie is a muse to me. Debbie is a gay icon. Her acting career spans over 30 film roles & numerous television appearances. She looks & sounds astounding at 65 years old. Today is her birthday.


*Sordid footnote: I did mushrooms with the husband, circa 1980, & I had a sequence of time, during that experience, where I went “into” the Husband’s medieval Flemish tapestry. I was walking the candle lit hallways of a castle, wearing stunning Aramini clothing. The soundtrack from this debauched adventure was Call Me by Blondie.

Fred Schneider has released 2 solo albums, but neither of these albums were as successful as any of the albums created by The B-52's. The B-52's hold a fairly unique position in rock music in that all the founding male members of the band were gay.


Fred Schneider is best known as the frontman of the rock band The B-52's, of which he is a founding member. He is known for his quirky sprechgesang & distinctive swish. The B-52's were formed by Cindy Wilson & Kate Pierson with drummer Keith Strickland, guitarist Ricky Wilson (Cindy's older brother) & vocalist Fred Schneider after a drunken night at a Chinese restaurant.
 
Late 1970s & through the mid-1980s, several nights a week were spent on the dance floor. I loved swallowing a Quaalude & dancing to the combination of dance & surf music of The B-52s. The band made a real impression with their singles Rock Lobster, Private Idaho & Planet Claire their debut album in 1979. Wild Planet followed in 1980, followed by Whammy! in 1983.



In October 1985, the band were devastated by the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson, from what was originally reported to be cancer, but was later revealed to be AIDS. The band's album Bouncing Off the Satellites (1986) was not a success, & the band went into hiatus. The B-52's returned in 1989 with the album Cosmic Thing, their biggest success, giving us the international hit- Love Shack. Original members Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson & Keith Strickland are all openly gay. Fred Schneider turns 59 today.


I surmise that Debbie & Fred know each other. I sure would like to have them over for cocktails in the Boy’s Fort. That would be a kicky evening! It is 2010 & this summer Blondie & the B-52s will be playing a handful of shows together. How cool is that?

Born On This Day- October 26th... B-52 Keith Strickland

Keith Strickland is "the cute one" with that "tacky little party band from Athens Georgia"

Originally, Strickland was the band's drummer, but following the 1985 death of Ricky Wilson, the band's guitarist and another founding member, he moved from the drums to guitar. Strickland has also played keyboards on many of the B-52's recordings, and has sung backup vocals on a handful of songs. Like both other male members of the B-52's - lead singer Fred Schneider & the late Ricky Wilson, Strickland is openly gay. Keith lives with his partner in Woodstock NY, Athens GA, & Key West.