The B-52's
The B-52's are a humorous American rock/pop band, known for their quirky songs and colorful costumes and haircuts. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, cowbell, piano, glockenspiel), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, maracas, bass), Keith Strickland (guitar, drums, keyboards), Cindy Wilson (vocals, tambourine, bongos) and Ricky Wilson (guitar). The group scored hits with Rock Lobster (1978), Planet Claire (1978), Love Shack (1989) and Roam (1990).
Frank Zappa and The B-52's
"I saw The B-52's playing in New York several times and I really liked them.." - Frank Zappa: America's Weirdest Rock Star Comes Clean, John Swenson, High Times #55, March 1980.
Zappa at one point wanted to sign the B-52s. Interviewed by Dennis Broe in Frank Zappa: The Original Freak Strikes Oil As The Sheik, Good Times (8-21 May 1979), Zappa said: "I made a bid for the B-52's and had my manager flying all over the place to see them." But at this point, he is not too hopeful of closing a deal. "Warner Bros. has bid $350,000 to sign them and CBS has put in a bid too and let me tell you, I ain't got $350,000." [1] Another group Zappa wanted to sign was AC/DC.
"We remember one of our first shows-- amazed that David Bowie, Brian Eno, Frank Zappa, Allen Ginsberg, Talking Heads and Blondie all came to see us!" - Kate Pierson. [2]
"A lot of people were very interested in producing us, including Frank Zappa. I love him but I just felt, it’s going to go in that territory, you know – that sort of obvious, very sarcastic humour." - Keith Strickland. [3]
