Belinda Carlisle Has A Go-Go At Writing Her Memoirs

On May 11 2010, Belinda Carlisle will be publishing her memoirs after much deliberation over the years as to whether or not she ever would. Both the autobiography and the accompanying audio CD will be entitled “Lips Unsealed: A Memoir”. Note, this is not a new music album by Carlisle, rather it is the audiobook version of the memoirs. Although she is working on a new album, no further details have been released by Carlisle or her record label about this, except other than to say that the new album will be in English.

Carlisle won the hearts of audiences all over the world when she struck gold with iconic 80’s band The Go-Go’s in 1981 with their debut album “Beauty And The Beat” which among other gems, yielded the pop hit “Our Lips Are Sealed”, penned by fellow band member Jane Wiedlin. After a successful run of subsequent albums, The Go-Go’s went on hiatus while the various members worked on various solo projects, to varying degrees of success.

Carlisle was the most successful, and released six solo CDs between 1986 – 1996, during which time she briefly reunited with her band in 1994 before fully reuniting with them from 2000 onward. The Go-Go’s are still a tour deforce as a touring band, and the members still do their own thing. Carlisle released an album of french chansons entitled “Voila” in 2007, and is about to embark on a fascinating new project.

After years of tossing around the idea of writing her memoirs from her days with The Go-Go’s (including Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine, and Gina Schock) , and presumably reminiscing through her days as a flame haired rock goddess, and her recent sojourn as a french chanteuse, Carlisle has at last penned her memoirs, aptly titled “Lips Unsealed: A Memoir”.

As to what stories will be included in the memoirs, these have not been revealed, although anyone familiar with The Go-Go’s spicy reputation and sometimes even sordid punk lifestyle from the late 70’s and early 80s should be aware that the material might not be suited to those who are easily shocked.

To give you an idea as to what might be in the book, in one story, elaborated further in my own feature article for The Go-Go’s, Carlisle stated:

“At least fifty punks were living at the Canterbury. There were a few homeless street people hanging out there too, but there was music coming from every room. You’d walk into the courtyard and there’d be a dozen different punk songs all playing at the same time. It was an incredible environment. When heroin came into the scene, that was the great divide. Either you did it or you didn’t. In the beginning, they were my friends, but the heroin thing kind of scared me. At the Canterbury, there were pills and lots of booze, there were these girls bringing in Demerol. That got really icky, everybody nodding out.”

So, if you want to know more about this amazing band, you’ll have to wait until May 2010 for the rest of the juicy details.

~ Michael Holloway