The Go-Gos

Today I watched the brand-new rock doc on the era and genre defining new wave band, namely The Go-Go’s. If you haven’t heard of the group, they were the first all-female song writing and performing band to get a number one album. You will definitely have heard some of their bigger hits at some point in your life, and if not do yourself a favour and give their first album a listen. Their music, style, and story deservedly made each of the members heroes that are worshipped by fans to this very day.  Their breakthrough into the male-dominated punk scene of the late seventies is the stuff of rock legend. It was about time somebody made this documentary.

The film takes you on a journey starting with their origins in the L.A. punk scene, through their career peak, onto their eventual breakup, and of course their recent rise. I’m sure if the right person gets to see this, it could give them that push to start a band and become the next big thing. I sometimes feel like they’re overlooked when people talk about the great rock bands of the 20th Century, perhaps due to their brief span of greatness and move into pop, but they undoubtedly deserve a place among the greats in my opinion. 

My biggest issue with the documentary comes from the actual content. If you are in anyway a fan going into this film, I doubt you’ll get a whole lot. It only scratches the surface of what the band went through, and I feel like if the run time was extended and it went in deeper it could’ve come out better. Saying that though if you’re a fan you’re bound to enjoy it if for the music and the video’s alone. 

 Written by Ben Matthews